Gurpinder Kumar
Assistant Professor
Centre for Women’s Studies
University of Allahabad
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh (India)
Jogesh Kumar
Assistant Professor
Mata Gujri Memorial College of Education, Balwanda
Gurdaspur, Punjab (India)
Abstract
This paper examines Mahatma Gandhi’s educational philosophy through a gendered lens, analyzing how his vision for education intersected with the broader discourse on women’s roles and empowerment in colonial India. While Gandhi advocated for women’s education, his approach was deeply rooted in traditional gender norms. Through an analysis of his writings, speeches, and the Nai Talim (Basic Education) model, this study explores the paradox of a reformist ideology that expanded access to education for women while reinforcing patriarchal expectations (Gandhi, 1948). Gandhi conceptualized women as moral anchors of the nation, framing their education as a means to strengthen familial and societal values rather than to achieve individual autonomy (Gandhi, 1931). Although his advocacy catalyzed female participation in public life, feminist scholars argue that his vision perpetuated essentialist notions of femininity and restricted women’s roles to the private sphere (Chatterjee, 1990; Forbes, 1996). By situating Gandhi within both colonial resistance and nationalist politics, the paper reveals the ambivalent legacy of his gendered politics of education. It highlights how his educational reforms laid the groundwork for women’s inclusion in nationbuilding, even as they constrained their transformative potential. This nuanced analysis contributes to ongoing debates on gender, nationalism, and the politics of education in postcolonial contexts.
Keywords: Gandhi, Gender, Education, Nai Talim, Women’s Empowerment, Colonial India, Feminism.
