Evaluating Gender Representation in NCERT Textbooks: A Content Analysis Parashar Smita1,2,*, Singh Smriti1 1Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Patna. 2Amity Law School, Amity University, Patna. *Corresponding Author Email: smita.phs15@iitp.ac.in
Abstract This paper examines continuing patterns of gender inequality in society, more specifically gender inequality in formal education, as education is potentially a site for empowerment. Studies have demonstrated that gender-bias and gender stereotypes in written texts have deleterious effect for female students leading to feelings of exclusion, devaluation and lowered expectations. This research endeavours to analyse gender portrayal in school textbooks brought out by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and used at the level of senior secondary education. A content analysis, with the help of an evaluation tool developed by the Department of Women’s Studies, NCERT, has been undertaken of the NCERT political science textbook of class XI. The findings highlight overtly gendered representations in the textbook, thus stressing the need for a rigorous feminist critique of mainstream disciplinary knowledge to address concerns and issues of gender in the structures and processes of formal education. Top Keywords Gender inequality, NCERT textbooks, Content analysis, Feminist theory, Hegemonic masculinity. Top |