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By:

Anil D. Salve

21 March 2026 at 2:41:09 pm

Girls Top Exams, Then What?

Every year, India proudly celebrates the remarkable academic achievements of girls. Across board examinations, universities, and competitive entrance tests, female students consistently outperform their male counterparts with discipline, dedication, and academic excellence. The recent CBSE Class 12 results once again reflected this trend, with girls recording a pass percentage significantly higher than boys. At first glance, this appears to be a powerful success story of modern India....

Girls Top Exams, Then What?

Every year, India proudly celebrates the remarkable academic achievements of girls. Across board examinations, universities, and competitive entrance tests, female students consistently outperform their male counterparts with discipline, dedication, and academic excellence. The recent CBSE Class 12 results once again reflected this trend, with girls recording a pass percentage significantly higher than boys. At first glance, this appears to be a powerful success story of modern India. Increased access to education, awareness campaigns, government schemes, and changing parental attitudes have enabled millions of girls to enter classrooms and pursue higher education. Families today invest heavily in the education of their daughters through private schooling, coaching classes, digital learning, hostels, and university studies. However, behind this encouraging progress lies a serious national concern: if girls are consistently excelling in education, why are they still underrepresented in leadership positions, entrepreneurship, research, administration, politics, and the workforce at large? This is not a debate about competition between men and women. It is a question about whether India is fully utilizing the intellectual potential of millions of educated women. Over the past three decades, girls have repeatedly demonstrated strong academic consistency. Schools and colleges produce thousands of female toppers every year. Universities report increasing female enrolment across multiple streams, including medicine, engineering, law, and management. Yet this educational success is not reflected equally in professional spaces. The contradiction is visible everywhere. Classrooms are full of female achievers, but leadership positions in industries, government institutions, start-ups, research laboratories, and corporate sectors continue to be dominated by men. Somewhere between graduation and employment, a large number of talented women quietly disappear from the professional pipeline. One of the major reasons behind this gap is the social transition many women face after completing their education. During school and college years, families encourage daughters to score well and make the family proud. But once graduation approaches, the focus often shifts from career planning and higher studies to marriage discussions, family expectations, and social pressure. Marriage Prospects In many households, education is still subconsciously viewed as a means to improve marriage prospects rather than a pathway to professional independence. As a result, many academically brilliant girls slowly step away from career ambitions before even entering the workforce. Marriage itself is not the problem. The real issue is the pressure and timing associated with it. Across several parts of India, young women continue to face social expectations regarding marriage much earlier than men. Concerns about “the right age,” social reputation, or family expectations often influence important career decisions. Many women preparing for competitive examinations, research careers, civil services, medicine, or corporate professions experience interruptions due to marriage-related responsibilities. These setbacks are rarely discussed publicly because they happen silently within families and social structures. The challenge becomes even greater in rural areas and smaller towns. Many girls from semi-urban and rural India achieve excellent academic results despite limited resources. Yet after graduation, they encounter barriers such as lack of nearby employment opportunities, unsafe transportation, conservative social environments, restrictions on relocating alone, and limited professional exposure. For such women, talent alone is not enough. Geography itself becomes a limitation. Another emerging trend in India is the rise of highly educated homemakers. Many women complete professional degrees in engineering, management, law, science, or medicine but later discontinue their careers due to childcare responsibilities, relocation after marriage, lack of family support, or work-life imbalance. While choosing family responsibilities is a personal decision that deserves respect, the broader concern is whether India is creating enough support systems for women who wish to continue their careers after marriage and motherhood. Losing Productivity This issue is not only social-it is deeply economic. When educated women remain outside the workforce, the country loses productivity, innovation, entrepreneurial talent, leadership potential, and research capacity. No nation can achieve sustainable development while underutilizing half of its intellectual population. Countries with higher female workforce participation often show stronger economic growth, better child education outcomes, improved healthcare indicators, and greater social development. Women’s professional participation contributes directly to national progress and economic resilience. India has already succeeded in bringing girls into classrooms. The next challenge is ensuring that they remain visible beyond classrooms. This requires structural and social change at multiple levels. First, women need stronger career continuity support through flexible work policies, maternity support, remote work opportunities, and career re-entry programs. Second, safer and more inclusive work environments are essential, especially in smaller cities and semi-urban regions where transportation and workplace safety remain concerns. Third, family mindsets must evolve. (The writer is the Principal, Podar International School, Ausa, Latur.)

More Than Assistance, A Movement of Compassion

AI generated image
AI generated image

Health is the greatest wealth. But when a serious illness strikes a family, it does not just affect the patient physically; it often pushes the entire family into financial distress. In such difficult moments, when all doors seem closed, the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund has emerged as a ray of hope for lakhs of families across Maharashtra. Today, it is no longer merely a government mechanism but a true people’s movement built on sensitive leadership and public participation.


A major credit for this transformation goes to the visionary leadership of the Maharashtra Chief Minister, whose compassionate approach and emphasis on administrative efficiency have reshaped the functioning of the fund. His clear resolve has been that no needy patient in the state should be deprived of treatment due to lack of money.


Earlier, availing assistance through this fund was a complicated and time-consuming process. Patients or their relatives had to travel to Mumbai, complete extensive paperwork, and wait for long periods for approval. In many cases, treatment itself would get delayed because of these procedural hurdles.


However, the system has now undergone a complete transformation. With the use of digital technology, the application process has been made fully online, and assistance cells have been established at the district level. Patients no longer need to make repeated trips to Mumbai. Hospitals can now directly submit applications online; documents are verified digitally, and approvals are granted within hours. The approved amount is transferred directly to the hospital’s account. This transparent and efficient process has removed the uncertainty that once surrounded financial assistance.


One of the biggest milestones in strengthening the scheme has been the integration of various healthcare initiatives. The coordination between the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund through the “Health War Room” concept has helped ensure that the right beneficiary receives the right support while preventing duplication and misuse of funds.


At the same time, the 24x7 toll-free helpline 1800-123-2211 and the ‘Rugna Mitra’ service are providing round-the-clock support to patients. With just one phone call, patients receive digital links that help them access information about nearby hospitals, blood banks, and ambulance services. The confusion caused by a lack of information has now largely become a thing of the past.


The scheme truly became a people’s initiative when society itself began actively participating in it. One inspiring example is that of an 82-year-old man from Nerul, who donated his life’s savings to the fund. Such gestures reflect the growing public trust and emotional connection people have developed with this initiative. Citizens from different walks of life are now voluntarily contributing towards the cause.


With the philosophy that “services should reach patients instead of patients chasing services", chief minister health camps are being organised across rural and remote regions, proving to be a major support system for citizens in underserved areas. In addition, an innovative tripartite partnership between the government, corporate organisations, and hospitals is helping reduce the financial burden of expensive medical treatments on patients.


The impact of these efforts is clearly visible in the numbers as well. Between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, medical assistance worth Rs 333,06,81,500 was provided to 40,776 patients across Maharashtra. This support covered treatment for serious illnesses such as neurological disorders, cancer, and heart disease. Beyond financial aid, these interventions have helped save countless lives. Paperless processes, real-time monitoring, and direct bank transfers have significantly strengthened public trust in the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Under the leadership of this initiative, it has today evolved into a powerful movement driven by humanity and compassion, a strong pillar of support for every needy citizen in Maharashtra.


(The writer is the head of Chief Minister Health Care Fund. Views personal.)

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