Prof. Nagaraju Gundemeda, Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad (UoH) released a book titled Gender, State and Education: Mapping the Inclusive Exclusion in South India published by Rawat Publications (2024).
Prof. Nagaraju Gundemeda
Education is not merely a source of material emancipation but also an agent of ideological freedom for the marginalized sections of the society. Various education support schemes are trying to overcome the gender barriers in access to educational opportunities by offering choices to girl children. The Government of India enacted Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidayalaya (KGBV) schools to address the issues and challenges of dropout girls from secondary education. The major thrust of the book is to explore what the KGBV schools mean to the marginalized girl children of India in general and Telugu states in particular. It delves into the intricate challenges faced by girls in secondary education, emphasizing the disparity between policy objectives and their practical implementation.
The book recognizes the critical significance of indigenous feminist traditions and their positions in understanding the relationship between gender, education and exclusion in the Indian society. It discusses the broader sociological debates responsible for shaping the nature and direction of educational development among the girls in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State. Drawing on insightful conclusions, the book emphasizes the need for targeted policy interventions to empower girls’ school education in India.
Prof. Nagaraju, is Professor and Head, Department of Sociology, obtained his PhD from the University of Hyderabad. His areas of teaching and research cover various segments of sociology, viz. Sociology of India, Education, Youth, Marginal Groups and Clinical Sociology. He has completed several projects under his supervision and also has publications of several books and articles to his credit.