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Debjani and Madhuparna take a hard look into the opportunities and challenges for women workforce in this research article of theirs, exclusively in Different Truths.
In India, the emphasis is always on general education than vocational education at the receiving end. This has resulted in a large number of educated but unemployed people. According to Annual Employment and Unemployment survey Report (2013-14), In India, workforce participation for women is estimated to be 25.8%. Among the whole women workforce, 93.7% of rural and 88.8% of urban women are unskilled
The state governments have implemented the vocational education at the +2 stage. More than 150 courses are offered in six major disciplines: agriculture, business and commerce, engineering and technology, health and para medical services, home sciences and humanities. Polytechnic education in India offers three years generalised diploma course after class X in civil, mechanical, electrical, electronics, computer science, medical lab technology, hospital engineering etc. Polytechnic Institutes that are especially for women offer courses in garment technology, beauty culture, textile
Challenges
There are several socio-economic barriers towards the participation of women in vocational education and training programmes.
- Lack of basic education, awareness and positive attitude of the family.
- Narrow range of female-dominated sectors.
- High cost of learning.
- Lack of ladies hostel, scholarships, loan and transport facilities.
- Lower remuneration for a female worker than men.
- Lack of flexible curriculum according to the changing technologies.
- Lack of female trainer and gender sensitive delivery mechanism.
- Inadequate industry- institute involvement that results lack of absorption of students according to the requirement of local industries.
Conclusion
Awareness training on issues related to health and nutrition, confidence building, negotiation, leadership skills, sexual harassment and gender stereotypes in households and in the workplace should be provided to the women trainees. Equal remuneration of women and men worker should be ensured by implementing policies. Involvement of all parents and communities to support, design and deliver gender-responsive need-based skill training are necessary. Convergence of schemes like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Adult Education, and Vocational Education Programme to ensure numeracy and literacy are required. Safe and female-friendly accommodation, transport, childcare services, easily accessible loan, increased no of female trainer, mobile training units, distance learning using mobile phones, radio and internet, updated, demand based, flexible, curriculum and linkage between research institutes and local industries will be beneficial to increase women participation.
References
Anuradha, R. Vijaya & Reddy, G. Lokanadha. (2013). Empowerment of Rural Women through Vocational Education and Training, Conflux journal of Education, 1(2), 6-12.
Batra, S. (2009). Strengthening human capital for knowledge economy needs: an Indian Perspective, Journal of Knowledge Management, 13(5), 345 – 358.
National Policy on Skill Development. (2009). Directorate General of Employment and Training, Ministry of Labour, India. Retrieved from http://labour.gov.in/policy/NationalSkillDevelopmentPolicyMar09.pdf…on March 20, 2017
Reporting of the Working Group on Technical Education for the XIIth Five Year Plan, Retrieved from http://planningcommission.gov.in….on March 20, 2017
©Dr. Debjani Guha & Madhuparna Bhattacharya