Gender issues are of paramount interest in school education in India, but questions remain about what girls and boys actually learn about gender once they are in school. Are schools really places where teachers effectively combat traditional gender stereotypes among students? Relying on primary research in schools in Delhi, this article examines teachers’ biases and stereotypes regarding gender issues. Comparing this grassroots reality to the opinions on masculinity and femininity held by children in the same schools, the article identifies a need for more focused teacher education. The persistent gaps between tall claims about improved gender awareness, ambitious promises in policies and existing ground realities pose significant educational challenges for India, especially with regard to methods of promoting consciousness about gender-related issues in all domains of education.
BandyopadhyayM.SubrahmanianR. (2008) Gender Equity in Education: A Review of Trends and Factors. Research Monograph Number 18. Consortium for Research on Educational Access, Transitions and Equity. Brighton and New Delhi: National University of Educational Planning and Administration. URL (consulted 10February2016), from http://www.nuepa.org/New/Download/Publications/Create/PTA%20April%202008/PTA18.pdf
6.
BatraR.ReioT.Jr. (2016) ‘Gender Equality Issues in India’, Advancing in Developing Human Resources, 18(1): 88–101.
7.
BhagatC. (2012) What Young India Wants. Selected Essays and Columns. New Delhi: Rupa.
8.
ChananaK. (1988) Socialization, Education and Women. New Delhi: Orient Longman.
DarW. A.NajarI. A. (2018) ‘Educational Anthropology, Tribal Education and Responsible Citizenship in India’, South Asia Research, 38(3): XX–XX.
11.
DesaiS.KulkarniV. (2008) ‘Changing Educational Inequalities in India in the Context of Affirmative Action’, Demography, 45(2): 245–70.
12.
DhagamwarV. (2006) ‘Child Rights to Elementary Education: National and International Provisions’. In KumarR. (Ed.), The Crisis of Elementary Education in India (pp. 57–91). New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
13.
FaheyJ. (2014) ‘Privileged Girls: The Place of Femininity and Femininity in Place’, Globalisation, Societies and Education, 12(2): 228–43.
14.
GalanterM. (1984) Competing Equalities. Law and the Backward Classes in India. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
15.
GandhiA. (1995) School Social Work. New Delhi: Commonwealth Publications.
16.
GandhiA. (2004) Mainstreaming Gender in Social Work Education. Report of National Seminar on ‘Gender, HIV and Social Work. New Delhi: NIPCCD and IGNOU.
KakarS. (1978) The Inner World. A Psycho-analytic Study of Childhood and Society in India. Delhi: Oxford University Press.
23.
KalamA. P. J. A
. (2010) ‘Possible Solutions for Nurturing National Values’. In SreedharanE.WakhluB. (Eds), Restoring Values. Keys to Integrity, Ethical Behaviour and Good Governance (pp. 47–56). New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
24.
KumarR. (Ed.) (2006) The Crisis of Elementary Education in India. New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
25.
LuscheiT. F.ChudgarA. (2017) ‘Supply Side Explanations for Inequitable Teacher Distribution’. In sLuscheiT. F.ChudgarA. (Eds), Teacher Distribution in Developing Countries (pp. 87–107). London: Palgrave Macmillan.
26.
MadanV. (2005) ‘Content Analysis of Classroom Processes Studies in 8 DPEP States’. In RamachandranV. (Ed.), Gender and Social Equity in Primary Education (pp. 143–68). New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
27.
MartinoW. (2008) Boys’ Underachievement: Which Boys Are We Talking About?Toronto: The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, Ontario.
28.
MedinaC.LunaG. (1999) ‘Teacher as Caregiver: Making Meaning with Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities’, Teacher Development, 3(3): 449–65.
29.
MisraN.MuraoZ. (Ed.) (2010) Inspired India. Ideas to Transform a Nation. New Delhi: Harper & Collins.
NambissanB. G. (2012) ‘Low-cost Private Schools for Poor in India: Some Reflections’. In IDFC Foundation (Ed.), India Infrastructure Report 2012. Private Sector in Education (pp. 84–93). New Delhi: Routledge. URL (consulted 14August2018), from http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/IIR-2012.pdf
PatelP. J. (2018) ‘Shame and Guilt in India: Declining Social Control and the Role of Education’, South Asia Research, 38(3): XX–XX.
34.
RamachandranV. (Ed.) (2004) Gender and Social Equity in Primary Education. New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
35.
RanaK.SantraS.MukherjeeA.BanerjeeT.KunduM. (2005) ‘Public–Private Interface in Primary Education’, Economic & Political Weekly, 40(15): 1550–5.
36.
RizwiF. (2009) ‘Internationalization of Curriculum: A Critical Perspective’. In HaydenM.LevyJ.ThompsonJ. (Eds), The Sage Handbook on International Education (pp. 390–404). New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
37.
RupavathR. (2016) ‘Tribal Education: A Perspective from Below’, South Asia Research, 36(2): 206–28.
38.
SaxenaS. (2006) ‘Marginalisation of the Equity Agenda’. In KumarR. (Ed.), The Crisis of Elementary Education in India (pp. 176–99). New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
39.
SenA. (2000) Development as Freedom. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
40.
SenA. (2006) The Argumentative Indian. London: Penguin Books.
41.
SreedharanE.WakhluB. (Ed.) (2010) Restoring Values. Keys to Integrity, Ethical Behaviour and Good Governance. New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
TopidiK. (2016) ‘Public Education and Religious Rights: A Comparative Analysis’. In TopidiK.FielderL. (Eds), Religion as Empowerment? Global Legal Perspectives (pp. 269–302). London and New York, NY: Routledge.
44.
TopidiK. (Ed.) (2018) Normative Pluralism and Human Rights: Social Normativities in Conflict. London and New York, NY: Routledge.
45.
TopidiK. (forthcoming) Law and Religious Diversity in Education: The Right to Difference. London and New York, NY: Routledge.
