Society in Kashmir Vol. 08 2018 Published by DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF KASHMIR Srinagar, 190006, J & K (India) JOURNAL OF SOCIETY IN KASHMIR ISSN: 2249-667X 1 Editor Prof. Pirzada M Amin Head, Department of Sociology University of Kashmir Hazratbal, Srinagar, J&K- 190006 Email:[email protected] Assistant Editor DR Farah Qayoum Assistant Professor Department of Sociology University of Kashmir Hazratbal, Srinagar, J&K -190006 Editorial Advisory Committee Prof. T.N. Madan (New Delhi) Prof. Ravinder Kaur (IIT New Delhi) Prof. Ashish Saxeena (Allahabad) Prof. Mohd. Akram (Aligarh) Dr Adfer Rashid Shah(JMI) Prof. Madev Govind (JNU) Prof. Abha Chowhan (Jammu) Journal of Society in Kashmiris an annual journal of department of Sociology, University of Kashmir. All rights are reserved. Except for brief quotations in scholarly works, no part of this journal may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the Editor. Email address for all necessary correspondence: uok.co.in Subscription Rates Inland Overseas Individual Rs.100 $ 10 Institution Rs.200 $ 20 Published by Department of Sociology University of Kashmir Hazratbal, Srinagar, J&K- 190006 2 Contents Assessment of Girl Education Under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): A Review Shailla Draboo Diasporas and Homeland Engagement: The Case of Indian Americans Arsala Nizami Challenges of Women in Technology-based Society: A Sociological Study from Call Center Industry Badre Afshan NEW TECHNOLOGY AND WOMEN’S LIVES Madiha Showkat Women Empowerment and the Question of Information and Communication Technology Mohd Ishaq Bhat Understanding Educational Backwardness among Girl Child: A Case Study of District Bandipora Barkat Hussain Para & Aijaz Ahmad Mir Religion Practices among the tribes of Madhya Pradesh: An analytical Study Dr. Jayanta Kumar Behera Tapping the Untapped: Exploring Role of ICT in Promoting Rural Tourism in Kashmir Iram Sabha The Living Conditions of the Women Working In the Unorganised Sector: A Case-Study on The Fisherwomen of Srinagar District Zainab Javaid & Babra Manzoor Book Review Tibetan Refugees in India: Struggle to Survive Bilal Ahmad Kakroo 3 Editorial I welcome readers to Vol. of the Kashmir Journal of Society. In keeping with the journal’s focus on diverse sociological themes we have selected for this edition a set of papers ranging from education, women, ICT and diasporas keeping in view the need for students of sociology and other social sciences to get acquainted with recent research on the said themes. Apart from the book review, this edition contains six articles. Assessment of Girl Education under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan by Shailla Draboo is a paper that reflects upon the key initiatives taken by SSA for enhancing enrolment, retention and qualitative changes in girl education. The paper further throws light on the opportunities and challenges in the way of girl education. ‘Diasporas and Homeland Engagement: The Case of Indian Americans’’’ by Arsala Nizami delves on the aspects of various diaspora associations and organisations to analyse the nature of their engagement in India. Further the case study of Indian Americans reflects the impact of diaspora groups that are actively participating in Indian political, economic and social affairs. Badre Afshan in her paper, ‘Challenges of Women in Technology- based Society: A Sociological Study from Call Center Industry’ sums up in her paper that how technology-based society has resulted in feminization of labour. The study of call centres brings a clear insight of how on one hand call centres have increased employment opportunities for women and on the other side there exists economic and social disparities among women in work place. ‘New Technology and Women’s Lives’ by Madiha Showkat describes how the technology has influenced women in their social, economic, cultural and political spheres. ‘Women Empowerment and the Question of Information and Communication Technology’ by Mohd Ishaq Bhat gives a conceptual description of prospects formed by ICT enabled networking processes for women’s empowerment. The paper throws light on the major challenges and impediments faced by women with respect to access to technology and recommends 4 strategies to cultivate the conditions leading to women empowerment.‘Understanding Educational Backwardness among Girl Child: A Case Study of District Bandipora’ by Barkat Hussain Para & Aijaz Ahmad Mir gives a detailed brings a narrative of key factors that are responsible for the low level of education attainment among the girls. The study of Bandipora district has been taken under from Kashmir division, the rationale behind is that district has low literacy rate among girls. Jayanta Kumar Behera in his paper, ‘Religion Practices among the tribes of Madhya Pradesh: An analytical Study’, attempts to explain the religious practices among the tribals in general and religious status of the tribal women in particular with special reference to Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh. Iram sabha in her paper, ‘Tapping the Untapped: Exploring Role of ICT in Promoting Rural Tourism in Kashmir’ explores and enumerates the various shades of Rural Tourism in Kashmir and how ICT can give impetus to the development of Rural Tourism in Kashmir. Mudassir Nazir in his article ‘Recent scenario in Corporate Social responsibility-A Critical analysis of Law and practice’ highlights the evolution of CSR, along with its impact on key areas in India. Zainab Javaid and Babra Manzoor in their paper, ‘The Living Conditions of The Women Working in the Unorganised Sector: A Case-Study on the Fisherwomen of Srinagar District’ analyses the living conditions of women working in the unorganized sector focusing on the fisherwomen of Srinagar district.Finally book review of Book Review Adfer Shah’s book Tibetan Refugees in India: Struggle to Survive by Bilal Ahmad Kakroo gives a brief description of the book. Prof. Pirzada M. Amin Editor 5 ASSESSMENT OF GIRL EDUCATION UNDER SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (SSA): A REVIEW Ms. Shailla Draboo Department of Political Science, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi ABSTRACT: The universal right to elementary education for growth and development of the nation has been well conceived all over the world. Recognizing the importance of education, the government of India has launched SSA programme which means education for all. Bridging gender and social gap is one of the fundamental goals of SSA. The main objective is to recognise the need for girl education which not only requires change in societal norms butin attitudes as well. The need is to visualize the children excluded from the benefits of education, especially among the girls are considered as hard to reach out. The paper provides an overview of gender and equity concerns interpreted under the framework of SSA. This paper attempts to examine the factors affecting girls’ access to education, both supply as well as demand side measured in view of educational facilities as well as internal dynamics of gendered relation. Keywords: Universalisation, Girl child, Equity, Elementary education, Empowerment. Introduction: Universal Elementary education aims at strengthening the socio- economic structure of the nation by providing equal opportunities and social justice to all. The overall well-being of an individual depends upon the quality of basic education that can be expressed in terms of indicators such as infant motility, life expectancy and nutritional status. India’ commitment towards proving free and compulsory education to all dates back to the drafting of the notions of the 6 Constitution. Article 45 in Part IV of Directive Principles of State Policy ensures that state should provide free and compulsory education to the children in the age group of (6-14) years of age. The concept of universalization states that education is for all rather selected few. Men and women are often seen as equal contributors in development process. A large gender difference exists in our country. The 42nd Constitutional amendment has bought a huge reform in India’s education system by putting it in concurrent list. Holding centre and state both responsible to deal with various aspect of education from primary to university level. (Snehi, 2007).Even though school education has traditionally remained a subject for the action of state governments, government of India since past two decades has been following the national policy on education 1986. The NPE 1986 and its programme of action in 1992 gave education a mandate to work for women’s equality and empowerment. Further the “Education” was used as an agent of basic change in the status of women (MHRD, SSA and Girl Education for XIth plan, 2006)This culminated in launching of the national programme of SarvaShiksha Abhiyan to promote considerable progress with respect to access, retention, quality and equity in domain of elementary education. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan- An Initiative Towards Universalization of Elementary Education: SSA has been operational since 2000-01. Government of India’s flagship programme for the achievement of universalization of elementary education. Pioneered by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the goals of programme include universal access, retention, bridging gender and social gap, enhancement of learning level among students. SSA being implemented as centrally sponsored scheme responds towards promoting quality and equity in basic education. The scheme also provides variety of interventions including Inter Alia, opening of new schools, Alternative schooling facilities,