Women on March in Goa : the gender transition in Higher Education after the Statehood

This paper attempts to address the interesting phenomenon of dominance of women in higher educational sector of Goa-a remarkable postcolonial event which occurred after Goa attained statehood in 1987. The Indian state of Goa has been experiencing a rapid socio-economic and cultural transformation. At present it enjoys many of the highest human development indicators in India, matching some of the developed countries. Its’ projected population at present is 1.45 million (Indian decennial census 2001 reported 1.348 million). When the Portuguese rule ended, the literacy was just 31 % whereas it stood at 82 % in 2001. Goa is a highly urbanized state in India. In 1960 there were just five towns and 15 % urban population. In 2001 the figures were, 44 towns and 50 % urban population. On economic front Goa has made tremendous progress mainly on account of the growth of mining, tourism and the service sector. Tourist arrivals in Goa have exceeded the state’s population from 2001. The Gross state domestic product (GSDP) at current prices in 2003-04 was Indian Rupees (Rs.) 96570 million, up from Rs. 3930 million when Goa became a full-fledged state. The banks are flush with funds indicating a booming economy. Goa has lowest birth and death rates and a life expectancy of 68 years for the males and 72 for females. The sex ratio however has shown a declining trend since 1960, from 1066 to 960 in 2001 (Table 1).The sex ratio for 0-6 years age group was 933. On this background we intend to examine the changing pattern of female education in Goa.

La gouvernance, point noir de l´émergence indienne

India's Constitution is not a covenant, or compact, between the states. The states are the creation of Constitution and subsequently of Parliament. Article 2 of the Constitution empo-wers Parliament to admit into Union, or establish new States on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit . Article 3 gives more comprehensive powers to Parliament for formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of the existing States.The Indian Constitution not only permits, but also ordains various States to enact special laws to limit the ownership of land only to some designated residents. Goa does not have to reinvent the wheel. As a full-fledged State of the Indian Union it has to only convince the Union government that the ground of its legitimacy as a State is doomed without the Special Status which may empower the State Government to adopt legal instruments to safeguard its cultural and territorial identity and integrity, the ground of its Statehood.