JAIPUR: The communities under the Scheduled Tribes are leading the way in girls’ education with the highest of 115 girls for every 100 boys enrolled in the higher education institutes, says the higher education department report on enrolments. The worst female-male ratio came at 93 girls enrolled for every 100 boys from Scheduled Caste communities. The ST communities have made a major jump from 30 girls in 2005-06, completely reversing the trend in fifteen years.
“The figures are testimony to the fast-changing mindset of the orthodox communities in the state. A higher enrolment means higher job opportunities. In our research papers, it is proven that an educated family gives away orthodoxy, leading to overall development including liberation of women,” said Rashmi Jain, head of department, sociology. The average ratio of girls to boys was 105:100 in 2020-21.
Experts say that state policies like opening only girls’ colleges and free education for girls, along with several scholarships schemes, turn out to be game changers. Of 322 government colleges, 60 are only girls’ colleges, especially in blocks that are dominated by the communities known for poor girls’ education.
Meanwhile, humanities continue to have a lion’s share in enrolments with 66.41% of the total enrolments in higher education in social sciences. The next share of 24.07% goes to science, while commerce stood third with 7.22% enrolments.
“Girls are fast catching up with boys in the field of law. In the 2020-21 academic year, 18,255 boys enrolled for law while 8,319 enrolled for law were girls. It’s no longer taboo for girls to enrol for law. Even them opting for agriculture is surprising, as it is still considered to be a boys’ bastion. In the survey year, 225 girls enrolled for the degree programme while 505 were boys,” said Sharma.
“The figures are testimony to the fast-changing mindset of the orthodox communities in the state. A higher enrolment means higher job opportunities. In our research papers, it is proven that an educated family gives away orthodoxy, leading to overall development including liberation of women,” said Rashmi Jain, head of department, sociology. The average ratio of girls to boys was 105:100 in 2020-21.
Experts say that state policies like opening only girls’ colleges and free education for girls, along with several scholarships schemes, turn out to be game changers. Of 322 government colleges, 60 are only girls’ colleges, especially in blocks that are dominated by the communities known for poor girls’ education.
Meanwhile, humanities continue to have a lion’s share in enrolments with 66.41% of the total enrolments in higher education in social sciences. The next share of 24.07% goes to science, while commerce stood third with 7.22% enrolments.
“Girls are fast catching up with boys in the field of law. In the 2020-21 academic year, 18,255 boys enrolled for law while 8,319 enrolled for law were girls. It’s no longer taboo for girls to enrol for law. Even them opting for agriculture is surprising, as it is still considered to be a boys’ bastion. In the survey year, 225 girls enrolled for the degree programme while 505 were boys,” said Sharma.
