Changing Role of Women in Indian Society
The Indian women have been kept backward right from the beginning. Our society had always been a male dominated one. The women had no voice and they were being treated as domestic servants. The men used to keep them under their thumb. They were denied freedom. They had no rights even at home. They were forced to obey elder members of the family blindly. The basic reason of their backwardness was illiteracy. No heed was given for their education. Importance was given only to the boys for education and subsequently jobs. Women were being made responsible to look after domestic work only.
There has been a change in the condition of women only after early seventies when the parents of the girls as well as the government realized that the education is the only answer for upliftment of women and progress of the country. Number of schools were opened for girls and public opinions came forward for motivating the society for education of girls. The literacy rate in respect of women increased gradually. No distinction is now made in the matters of education between boys and girls. They are not being treated as different as far as need for education is concerned. The male members cannot confine the women now within the four walls of house. There was a time, even forty years before, when no one was feeling happy at home at the birth of a female child. In today’s scenario, the girls are educated, self-dependent, earning members, working outside in public places equally like men. They are loving and looking after parents before their marriage and in many cases after their marriage too. The parents feel no difference today between the two, seeing honourable rank of girls in the society. Most of the girls today are earning members and they have the positive response towards parents, family and society. The girls are in a position to discharge a number of duties towards the nation. The women are doing very well in numerous competitive examinations of national level. They have respectable positions in many fields like education, health care, media, technical professionalism, research and development, factories and industries, literature, economics, administration, police services, armed forces, journalism, films, air and marine services and so on.
There is a speedy change in the social status of women. They have begun to take their due places in free India, where they enjoy equal rights and opportunities like men. The women today are playing vital role in the development of the country. They have progressed a lot in the field of politics. A number of women are in active politics in states and at national level. They are doing very well in politics that the whole country is witnessing today. They have enough political talent which they have already shown during the past according to Indian political history.
Women have been given equal voting rights with men. They are now taking active part in politics as well as outside affairs. They have the decisive power and role mainly during elections. Their votes are as important as those of men. No politician can now afford to neglect or oppose their rights. There has been a big political awareness among the women who can now play a vital role to form as well as dismiss the Government at any level.
Hindu law has been changed and modified in favour of women. The women have now been given right to divorce in certain cases as per modified marriage act. This is a very important change which extends freedom as well as protection against the cruelty of husbands or any number of the family. This kind of modification in the law is also helpful against the victimization due to dowry. Besides this, the Hindu Succession Act has given the right to the property to the daughter exactly like sons. These reforms have secured the women in a honourable manner by enhancing their status in society.
A number of women have begun to occupy more and more jobs both in the government departments and the private sector. They are proving their ability through their performance. Mrs. India Gandhi, who had been Prime Minister of free India for 15 years had set up an example in Indian political history. She could prove herself a leader of the world stature. There are so many other women politicians, who are carrying good reputation in Indian politics. They have bright political career ahead. The country is expecting much from them. We need good women politicians for better future of the country. A number of Indian women are leading various national political parties successfully. Besides politics, they are most successful in private sector both in executive and managerial capacities. There is a big gain in the social status of women even without any reservation for them.
Not only within the country, the Indian women have brightened the name of India outside through their remarkable performances. Numerous women of our country are acting as ambassadors in various other countries of the world, which is a dignified appointment, for which Indian women should be proud.
It is evident that there has been a tremendous social change in respect of women in India. This community is still on the march of progress. There are instances where women are doing far better. This is a good sign of their advancement which is helping in making progress of the country more speedily. Our women have hidden talents and sense of exemplary patriotism. They have shown it in the past when they got opportunity to do so. What actually is required for women today is adequate opportunities to get their talent exposed. India is very serious in this direction. No country can do much progress without taking the women all along to carry out the national tasks specially in the democratic setup, where they have the equal rights with their menfolk. India is progressing fast. We need the services of women at this juncture for achieving our goal of becoming a world power.
