Abstract: Literacy is considered as one of the indicators of educational development of a nation and an essential but necessary step towards education. The advancements in science and technology have induced rapid changes in the material and non-material environment all over the world. The fast changing scenario, however, in turn warrants higher level of understanding on the part of human being to adapt themselves to new environment and conditions. In a country like India with 74.04 percent literacy and with 25.96 percent illiterate masses (Census 2011), there are many impediments in the way of progress and growth. Since there is a direct and functional relationship between literacy and productivity on the one hand and literacy and overall quality of human life represented by better health, hygiene, sanitation and family welfare on the other, educating the illiterates becomes very significant. The significance of universal literacy as an instrument of galvanizing and mobilizing the people arousing community consciousness and community participation for bringing social change was highlighted in the first half of twentieth century. This paper tries to analyse the policies made by the Government of West Bengal in recent time for women’s higher education, employment and welfare. In this study, an attempt has also been made to examine the status of women in West Bengal in comparison with all India average. It is found from the analysis that the status of women in West Bengal is comparatively better than the rest of the country only in some selected indicators.
Keywords: Women empowerment, Female literacy, West Bengal.
Title: Empowering Women, Developing Society: Female Education in West Bengal versus India
Author: Dr. Sobhan Banerjee
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
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