Despite the skewed sex-ratio in the male-dominated society of Haryana, the girls are in the lead when it comes to opting for research (PhD and MPhil) and also, in post-graduate courses in colleges of the State.
The gender gap seems to be shrinking in Haryana, which is otherwise known for its worst sex ratio. Going by provisional report of All India Survey of Higher Education for the academic year 2014-15 released by Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), there are more women pursuing higher education and research in the State than men.
As many 1433 women are pursuing PhD as compared to 1312 men while 350 women are doing MPhil against 303 men. Also, 52886 women are pursuing post graduation while the number stood at 37411 in male students, as per the report.
Also, when it comes to studying nursing and teacher training, women have outnumbered men again in the State. 696 female students were enrolled against 39 boys in nursing and 1434 females against 505 males were enrolled in teacher training. In certificate courses also, the number of women is higher than men.
The ratio, however changes at the under-graduate (UG) level, which witnessed an enrolment of 394000 male students and 313592 female students. In PG diploma courses, 2606 students were enrolled in 2014-15 and of them, 990 were girls, as per the report.
The gender gap is greater when it comes to diploma course where male students’ enrolment stood at 59640 against only 15196 girls.
The State has registered 27.9 GER (gross enrolment ratio 18-23 years) including 28.9 men and 26.7 women in 2014-15, almost similar to 27.5 GER (28.8 men and 25.9 women) recorded in 2013-14.
As per the survey, the average number of students allotted to a single teacher across the country is 21, however, the number is 18 in Haryana.
The report further stated that there are 36 Universities and 1109 Colleges in the state. Haryana has 35 Colleges per lakh eligible people (aged 18-23) more than the national average of 27.
According to the census 2011, Haryana had recorded around 76 per cent literacy rate. Of that, male literacy stood at 84.06 per cent while female literacy is at 65.94 per cent. The state had also registered the lowest child sex ratio of 834 compared to the national average of 919.
Notably, Haryana Government is currently conducting a comprehensive scientific mapping of colleges to assess the requirement of new colleges in the State.
As per the information, the mapping is done on various parameters including present number of colleges (government or aided and self financing) in a district, total 10+2 pass out students (CBSE and Haryana Board of School Education) stream wise, total students enrolled in various colleges in the academic year 2014-15, literacy rate in the district alongwith population, assuming 30 per cent gross enrolment ratio of total 10+2 pass out students, assuming that we ought to have at least 400 students to start a college and distances between Government colleges.