Cycle Rally on National Girl Child Day by BITS Pilani Students Group
Female literacy has considerable multiplier effects in all areas of women empowerment and no one anywhere has a doubt that educational empowerment alone can transform women into powerful agents of social change. A powerful indicator of social health of any society is Child Sex Ratio – CSR which is the number of girls per 1000 boys in the 0 – 6 Age group. According to the 2001 census, CSR for India stood at 927 as compared to 945 in 1991 and 976 in 1961. The decline in the child sex ratio both in urban and rural areas of many states and union territories speaks about the pathetic status and low desirability of girl child in Indian society.
As per a recent report titled released by the Ministry of Women and Child Development Government of India, the Gender related Development Index (GDI) which is a modification of Human Development Index (HDI) based on education levels, life expectancy and standards of living taking into account gender factors has improved in 2006 as compared to 1996. Similarly, the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) which measures political participation and decision making power, economic participation and command over resources has also improved.
Considering the importance of the Girl Child in the larger interests of the nation building task, Govt of India has declared January 24 as National Girl Child Day. To spread the awareness of same, a group of students from Birla Institute of Technology and Science – BITS Pilani led by Abhijeet Mishra third year Mechanical Engineering student did a cycle rally from Pilani to nearby town Chirawa on Sunday January 24, 2010. It is to be noted that BITS Pilani has presently about 18% girls enrolled in various degree programmes in the Pilani campus of the Institute which is significant as compared to other such Institutions in India. The rally was flagged off by Dr SK Verma Chief Warden and Professor of Biological Sciences Group of BITS Pilani.
