The economic systems usually change through policy interventions. Whenever corrections are felt to be made in an economic structure, a policy change is proposed. Then it is tested. Soon implemented. Within a scale of gestational period, change is registered. But the social systems are sticky and stubborn. While every economic change requires a simultaneous social change, the latter is usually very slow, sticky or often just absent. With every new economic change, the absence of social changes and adjustments keep on piling. This cumulation however isn’t simply harmless. It has consequences; multiple, visible, hidden, short and long run!

In the 1940s Jammu and Kashmir, female literacy was around 03%. During the same time, Muslim female literacy was 0.1%. Periodic Labour Force Survey data registers it at 77% currently for the region. Jammu district’s female literacy is around 92%. Policy interventions to increase the literacy rate of J&K in general were made in the 1950s. Special attention and focus was given to the improvement of female literacy and education in the region. As per AISHE, women’s enrollment in the higher education institutions of J&K has significantly improved to a female gross enrollment ration of 24.8, surpassing 18.5 of the males.  J&K has also been witnessing a significant rise in women’s technical education, especially across STEM domains.

As a consequence........

© Greater Kashmir