Abstract
Women have often been limited in India in their roles due to socio-cultural constraints, including politicization, rigid social norms, and expectations prioritizing family over career. Complexity in the social structure and a heterogeneous population of more than a billion varying in culture and religion have made it difficult for governments and institutions to implement policies that are inclusive and not gendered. In this chapter, we outline the scope of engagement of women leaders in the education sector in the last 70 years, including kindergarten through higher education, and elucidate their achievements. The purpose of this chapter is to analyze models, statistics, barriers, and challenges for women leaders in education, along with opportunities in the education sector in India.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Agarwal, P. (2013). Asia: Higher education in India and Pakistan – Common origin, different trajectories. In D. M. Schreuder (Ed.), Universities for a new world: Making a global network in international higher education (pp. 254–283). New Delhi: Sage.
Aggarwal, Y. (1998). Access and retention under DPEP: A national overview. Unpublished research report. New Delhi: National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration [NIEPA].
Agnihotri, S. (2016). Who is Savitribai Phule? Retrieved August 21, 2016, from http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/who-is-savitribai-phule-what-did-she-do-for-womens-right-inindia/1/561392.html
Ashoka Fellows. (2008). Kiran Bir Sethi. Retrieved November 14, 2016, from http://india.ashoka.org/fellow/kiran-bir-sethi
Atmakuri, A. (2013). When school is not enough. Edex – The New Indian Express.
Balasubramanian, D. (2014). Sugarcane and Janaki Ammal. Retrieved November 4, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/agriculture/sugarcane-and-janaki-ammal/article6503564.ece
Banerjee, R., & Polite, S. (2011). What women want: Women occupy just a handful of VC seats in Indian universities. EDU Tech, 2(3), 14–22.
Basak, S. (2015). Women, science, education and empowerment: Asima Chatterjee, the genius lady. International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Literature, 3(5), 133–138.
Bhat, B. (2010). Personal news on Rajeshwari Chatterjee. Current Science, 99(11), 1612.
Blum, N., & Diwan, R. (2007). Small, multigrade schools and increasing access to primary education in India: National context and NGO initiatives. Create Pathways to Access Research Monograph No 17.
Chanana, K. (2003). Visibility, gender and the careers of women faculty in an Indian university. McGill Journal of Education, 38(3), 381–389.
Chanana, K. (2012). Higher education and gender issues in the knowledge economy: Who studies what, why and where? In D. Neubauer (Ed.), The emergent knowledge society and the future of higher education: Asian perspectives (pp. 177–193). Oxfordshire: Routledge.
Chanana, K. (2013). Leadership for women’s equality and empowerment in higher education. India International Centre Quarterly, 39(3/4), 81–94.
Chappial, H. (2012). Teacher’s Day: 45% of teachers in schools are women. Retrieved September 5th, 2017, from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Teachers-Day-45-of-teachers-in-schools-are-women/articleshow/16257946.cms
Cheney, G. R., Ruzzi, B. B., & Muralidharan, K. (2005). A profile of the Indian education system. Prepared for the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce.
Design for Change (2016). About team. Retrieved November 12, 2016, from http://www.dfcworld.com/about.html
Dyer, C. (2000). Operation blackboard: Policy implementation in Indian elementary education. Oxford: Symposium Books.
Education Plus. (2014). Teachers mediators in child’s journey. Retrieved November 12, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-educationplus/teachers-mediators-in-childs-journey/article6348554.ece
Elassery, A. (2015). Fulfilling Gandhi’s ideology. Teacher Plus. Retrieved November 5, 2016, from http://www.teacherplus.org/alternatiview/fulfilling-gandhis-ideology
FICCI. (2014). Private sector’s contribution to K-12 sector in India. Retrieved February 20, 2018, from http://ficci.in/spdocument/20385/ey-ficci-report-education.pdf
Goel, A. (2003). Challenges before women managers in the corporate sector. Unpublished PhD thesis, Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar.
Institute for Social and Economic Change. (2016). Padma Sarangapani. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.isec.ac.in/psarangapani.html
Jayaram, A. (2002). The nuts and bolts of a super achiever. Retrieved November 4th, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/04/18/stories/2002041800540200.html
Kaur, G. (2013). Parents must have a choice. Teacher Plus. Retrieved November 11, 2016, from http://www.teacherplus.org/2013/march-2013/parents-ust-have-a-choice
Learning Curve. (2014). Gender inequities in school teaching. Retrieved September 8, 2017, from http://teachersofindia.org/en/article/gender-inequities-school-teaching
Mander, H. (2014). Been to buddy school? Retrieved November 8, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/been-to-buddy-school/article6019313.ece
Menon, A. (2011). Mother of social work. Retrieved November 7, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-youngworld/mother-of-social-work/article2294952.ece
MHRD. (2016a). Department of Higher Education. Ministry of Human Resource Development. Government of India. Retrieved September 5, 2017, from http://mhrd.gov.in/university-and-higher-education
MHRD. (2016b). Department of Higher Education. Ministry of Human Resource Development. Government of India. Retrieved February 20, 2018, from https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-020b8a0dc5a546424748df1c2f3c5a8c.webp
Mittal, S., Sharma, S., & Srivastava, P. (2015). Challenges faced by working women at workplace, family and society: Its major issues, impact and remedial measures. International Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(2), 64–77.
Morley, L., & Crossouard, B. (2015). Women in higher education leadership in South Asia: Rejection, refusal, reluctance, revisioning. Report for British Council. Falmer: University of Sussex. Retrieved June 5, 2016, from https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/british-council-women-higher-education-leadership-south-asia.pdf
Pandey, R. (2015). Crusaders of female education in colonial India: A case study of Savitribai Phule. International Journal of Innovative Social Science & Humanities Research, 2(1), 1–6.
Patil, V. (2002). Striving to break through glass-ceiling. The Tribune, Chandigarh, p. 14.
Podar, R. (2017, April 27). Analysis of private education in India and the way ahead. Retrieved September 12, 2017, from https://yourstory.com/2017/04/private-education/
Press Trust of India. (2016, April 16). Children sing their dreams at Music Basti’s annual concert. Business Standard. Retrieved November 7, 2016, from http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/children-sing-their-dreams-at-music-basti-s-annual-concert-116041500240_1.html
Raghavan, R. (2017, August 22). How innovative education can transform India’s destiny. Retrieved February 20, 2018, from https://yourstory.com/2017/08/innovative-education-india
Rajadhyaksha, M. (2013). Little acts of kindness set to spread across the country. Retrieved November 8, 2016, from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Little-acts-of-kindness-set-to-spread-across-the-country/articleshow/22406375.cms
Ramachandran, V., Pal, M., Jain, S., Shekar, S., & Sharma, J. (2005). Teacher motivation in India. Discussion Paper. Bangalore: Azim Premji Foundation.
Rangan, B. (2014). The school in the forest. Retrieved November 11, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/the-school-in-the-forest/article6044941.ece
Ratnakumar, E. (2014). In school, at home. Retrieved November 7, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/sunday-anchor/sunday-anchor-in-school-athome/article6324424.ece
Rege, P. (2011). Rebel with a cause. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/akanksha-foundation-shaheen-mistri/1/144977.html
Sadhana Village School. (2016). Sadhana. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from www.sadhanavillageschool.org
Saha, D. (2017). In 5 years, private schools gain 17 million students, government schools lose 13 million. Retrieved September 10, 2017, from http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/in-5-years-private-schools-gain-17-million-students-government-schools-lose-13-million/story-6FV1ic7RLttmWc0ZkhBQBM.html
Scharfe, H. (2002). Education in ancient India (16). Leiden: BRILL.
Seetharamu, A. S. (2002). Status of elementary teachers in India: A review. In R. Govinda (Ed.), India education report: A profile of basic education. New Delhi: NIEPA.
Sen Gupta, D. P. (2010). On her own terms. Retrieved November 3, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/on-her-own-terms/article805338.ece
Srinivasan, M. (2008). Puvidham more than a school for these children. Retrieved November 12, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/puvidham-more-than-a-school-for-these-children/article1299603.ece
Subramanian, C. V. (2007). Edavalet Kakkat Janaki Ammal. Retrieved November 8, 2016, from http://www.ias.ac.in/public/Resources/Initiatives/Women_in_Science/Janaki.pdf
Suguna. (2002). Dedicated to cause of women. Retrieved November 8, 2016, from http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/11/04/stories/2002110401330200.html
Taleemnet. (2005). Work and wisdom of vernacular educators from India: Jane Sahi. Retrieved November 7, 2016, from http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/jane-sahi-yasho.pdf
The story of light. (2015). Festival Director. Retrieved November 5th, 2016, from www.thestoryoflight.org
Times of India. (2009). Judy frater wins award for design education. Retrieved November 11th, 2016, from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Judy-Frater-wins-award-for-design-education/articleshow/3994628.cms?referral=PM
Thulir. (2016). A centre for learning at Sittlingi village. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from www.thulir.org
UGC India. (2013). SAKSHAM. Measures for ensuring the safety of women and programmes for gender sensitization on campuses. New Delhi: UGC India.
Young, H. (2014). Science education program to reach 25,000 school children. The Hans India.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sagaram, M., Mahal, P.K. (2018). Women in Leadership in the Education Sector in India. In: Ghosh, R., McLean, G. (eds) Indian Women in Leadership. Current Perspectives on Asian Women in Leadership. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68816-9_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68816-9_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-68815-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-68816-9
eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)