The Role Of Open And Distance Learning In Gender Equality And Women Empowerment In India

Abstract

Gender inequality is the severe problem for entirely the developing countries, where majority of women have been fatalities of social, cultural, political and environmental impacts of development. Lack of education is the most vigorous cause behind these inequalities. India is moving towards 21st century with a vision to be a part of economic superpowers. Education is the basis for the growth of any nation. Education for totally is one of the criteria through which the developmental aims of any country might be measured and evaluated. Open and Distance Learning have been gradually endorsed as a key elucidation for the historically disadvantaged group i.e. Women. It has emerged as a tool for retrieving higher education for women. ODL has been breaking virtually all divisions in the education system centred on gender, age, race, space, income, time etc. This paper explores the nature of open and distance learning approach for widening access of education to women. Further it evaluates the impact of ODL in women empowerment. The paper also explores the role of open and distance learning in empowering women and a beginning of speculation to conquer gender equality. Distance education has given women an opportunity to realise their independence and to live an honourable and respected life. No thriving nation can be imagined without justifiable development of both men and women. Though both men and women have equitable rights to develop themselves yet envisaging a nation where both men and women play same and spirited role in the prosperity is still a hallucination because the same situation has not been attained yet. In spite of the makers of India had thought of creating an egalitarian society based upon equal right and privileges; no such nation has been grasped yet. But in a patriarchal country like India which is primarily an agricultural based economy the women are suppose to play major role from managing the household to help their male equivalent in the manual work. Thus education exclusively the higher becomes just a dream and results into higher rate of dropout among the girl students. The increasing dropout among the girls and lack of higher is a national apprehension. In the light of such observation the states initiatives in this context needs to be assessed and investigated.