Initiatives taken by the Government to promote girls and women across the country

13 Aug Initiatives taken by the Government to promote girls and women across the country

(GS PAPER-1, WOMEN

SOURCE- The Hindu, Pib)

Context:

As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), conducted for the overall enrolment of female students in higher education has been consistently increasing over the years. 

Highlights of the Report:

The steps taken by the Government of India to promote education among girls and women are given as follows:

1. Issuing new UGC guidelines for Open and Distance Learning that allow entry of reputed institutions to offer education on the distance mode especially to the girls of the country.

2. Use of Information and communication technology- SWAYAM portal to take the best teaching resources to all especially to girls, including the most disadvantaged sections.

3. Opening of more centrally funded institutions all over India.

4. Encouragement of opening of institutions by State Governments under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) which aims to achieve equity and equality among students, access and excellence in higher education. The scheme is supporting units and components such as upgrading autonomous schools, colleges to universities, clustering colleges to establish a university, setting up of new professional colleges in unserved and underserved areas as well as by providing quality infrastructure grants to universities and colleges to boost up their capacity.

5.  More scholarship programs should be allocated to supplement the cost of education.

6. Additionally, as per the recommendations given by National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, the following steps are being should be performed by the Government to ensure equitable access to the highest quality of education for all the learners, especially women, regardless of social or economic backwardness:

   1. A Gender Inclusion Fund will be constituted by the Government to provide quality and equitable education to all girls. The fund should be focused on ensuring 100% enrolment of girls in Schooling and a record participation rate in higher education.

   2. Free hostel facilities will be made available for all women of the country

   3. New multi-disciplinary HEIs (including those especially for women) will be opened in or near every district.

   4. Special scholarships for women/transgender/ divyang will be introduced.

   5. Guidelines and advisories will be issued and monitoring mechanisms will be put in place to ensure basic facilities amenities and a safe, secure environment in all HEIs for women.

Download Plutus IAS Daily Current Affairs of 13th August 2021