Abstract
Education is a crucial social factor that helps in development by expending knowledge, thought, ability and skill. However, in our patriarchal society, the educational status of women is far behind than men. The present study is an attempt to analyses the educational status of women and male-female disparity in education in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal using the secondary data from the Census of India and the district statistical handbook and male-female disparity in literacy is calculated based on Sopher’s Disparity Index method. The result of the study indicates that the Murshidabad district is backward compared to other districts in West Bengal. The present female-literacy rate of the district is 67.53%, which is below the state average (77%) and the overall district rank is 16th in 2011 out of 19 districts. Still, the female literacy rate of the district is increased by 13.18% over the past decade. The study reveals that there is an uneven distribution of block-level female literacy rate in Murshidabad district in both the Census year 2001 and 2011, as well as it is also noticed that female literacy rate is very high in middle and southern blocks such as Berhampore, Hariharpara and Beldanga I and very low in the northern blocks namely Farakka, Suti I, Suti II and Samserganj block. The male-female disparity in literacy is very high in western blocks like Kandi (0.147), Nabagram (0.141), Khargram (0.140) and Burwan (.0136) and very low in the eastern blocks viz. Bhagwangola II (.039), Domkal (.052). However, the overall district-level female literacy rate is gradually increasing and gender disparity in education is decreasing, the Government should take appropriate measures to accelerate women education and eradicate male-female inequality in education.
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