The Transformation More Women Teachers Bring

The participation of women in India's teaching workforce has seen a significant transformation over the years.

- JOHN J KENNEDY

According to the latest data from the Unified District Information System for Education, the number of women school teachers increased from 47.1 lakh (49.98 percent) in 2018-19 to 52.3 lakh (53.34 percent) in 2023-24. Women first surpassed the halfway mark in 2019-20, and their representation has steadily grown.

However, disparities persist between private and government schools, with private institutions showing a higher rate of women teacher participation—a 20 percent rise in recent years. Important reasons for this could be their urban-centric locations, which reduce commuting challenges and perhaps better facilities. However, these positions often come with lower salaries, reflecting societal perceptions of women as secondary income earners.

Among government schools, states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab lead in female teacher representation at 78, 67, and 64 percent of the respective totals.

Higher education remains a male-dominated domain. Data from the 2021-22 All India Survey on Higher Education shows that women constitute only 43 percent of faculty members. Globally, women dominate teaching roles in primary and secondary education but face a significant drop in tertiary education.

According to UNESCO, 68 percent of primary and 54 percent of secondary teachers are women, but only 41 percent of tertiary educators are female. In countries like Latvia and Russia, women represent over 80 percent of primary teachers, while in Sub-Saharan Africa, the figure drops to 41 percent due to systemic and cultural barriers.