Woman secures job matching her qualifications and experience

The Story in Brief

India has recorded substantial gains in women’s access to higher education over the past decade. The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023-24 shows women’s enrolment rose 42.2% since 2014-15, the female gross enrolment ratio is 31.2, and the Gender Parity Index favours women at 1.08 for the seventh consecutive year. Participation gains are broad based: enrolment from Scheduled Castes grew 51.1%, from Scheduled Tribes 75.7% and from Other Backward Classes 60.2%; women from SCs rose by about two‑thirds, ST women doubled and OBC women increased roughly 72%.

Institutional capacity has expanded, with 1,289 universities and 48,426 colleges in the latest count, including 18 women‑only universities (11 in 2014-15) and 4,787 women‑only colleges. Women constitute nearly 45% of over 17.32 lakh teachers, at 82 per 100 men, up from 63. AISHE reports women are 31% of engineering and technology students and 54.6% of science students. The article notes schemes such as PM‑Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan, PM‑Vidyalaxmi loans, apprenticeships, Vigyan Jyoti and AICTE’s Pragati; 10,107 female candidates qualified in JEE (Advanced) 2026.

The Indian Opinion

The piece documents clear improvements in enrolment and institutional numbers, but an ordinary reader may note that focusing on headline metrics can obscure other important questions that the article itself raises. The lower female share in engineering, incomplete faculty parity and the article’s citation of schemes do not, in the text, establish how far reforms have improved employment, earnings or regional access. It is reasonable to welcome the expansion in access while also noting that evidence on outcomes-quality of education, transition to sustained work and state‑level variation-remains limited and requires further evaluation.

Original article: Getting the work she deserves (www.newindianexpress.com)

This story was summarised and commented on by AI from the source linked above.