Gender Discrimination in Higher Education Institutions of Northeast India

Abstract

Gender discrimination is a common phenomenon in the higher education institutions in many parts of India as well as the world. North-east India is a less developed area of India. For promoting higher education in north-east India, good numbers of higher education institutions are established in north-east India from time to time. But, how far the north-east India higher education institutions are maintaining the gender equality is a serious question before the researchers. Therefore, this study was designed to study gender discrimination in higher education institutions of north-east India. The objectives of the study were to study the status of women employees in comparison to men employees and to study the status of girls in comparison to boys in the higher education institutions. Six higher education institutions were taken as sample institutions of the study. The study included public relation officers/representatives of the head of the institutions, and head of the departments of the institutions as participants. The study was a descriptive survey type research. Two information schedules were used as tools for collection of data from participants. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis were used for the study. The study revealed that women possessed inferior status in comparison to men in all the administrative and the related positions, and in the entire academic and the related positions in higher education institutions. Further, the study indicated that, girls possessed inferior status in comparison to boys in enrolement to the different courses whereas girls possessed superior status in comparison to boys in retention in different courses and in completion of the courses (achievement) in higher education institutions.