The NDA, crediting its recent assembly election victory to the support of “aadhi aabadi” – women voters – claims its women-centric schemes since 2005 won their trust. But in Rohtas and Kaimur district, this “empowerment” remains largely superficial. Basic amenities such as public toilets are absent and women’s education shows little progress even after two decades of NDA rule.More than 70 years after India’s first general elections in 1951-52, women’s education in the Sasaram parliamentary constituency remains neglected. Ironically, the constituency was represented twice in the Lok Sabha by Meira Kumar, former Union minister (2004-09) and the first woman Speaker (2009-14). Her father, Jagjivan Ram, held the seat from 1952 to 1980.Rohtas Mahila College in Sasaram, established in 1972 and the only women’s college there, has over 2,700 students but offers neither science nor commerce. In Bhabhua, the only women’s college, set up in 1980 and govt-aided, offers limited science and no commerce, and depends heavily on guest faculty.Despite Sasaram and Bhabhua being district headquarters, both lag in educational infrastructure. “None of these colleges offers postgraduate courses. My daughter had to move to Varanasi, 120km away, to pursue her PG in a women’s college,” said Pawan Kumar of Navaratan Bazar.Of the constituency’s 16.07 lakh voters, 7.48 lakh are women, and 62% turned out to vote. Yet the NDA govt’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign has brought little improvement.In Feb 2015, the Bihar cabinet approved free education for girls up to PG level with institutions to be reimbursed. But the scheme remains poorly implemented. “The govt has never reimbursed the fees,” said a staff member of Sasaram Women’s College. “Our requests to introduce Science and commerce streams have also been ignored,” he added. Many arts departments have been functioning without teachers for years.Rama Rani Girls’ School in Sasaram, established in 1955 and upgraded to +2 in 2012, still does not offer commerce. “We continue to depend on guest faculty for Science teaching,” said teacher Amit Mukherjee, adding that no additional classrooms accompanied the +2 upgrade. Records show Class XI science seats remain vacant due to poor facilities.Sanitation and safety deepen the crisis. “Women here cannot even think of staying out for three to four hours at a stretch,” said Manju Arya, a social activist and fuel station owner. “They rush home quickly because there are no public urinals, not even in the district headquarters,” Arya added.Even the Polytechnic College built in Beda, Sasaram, exclusively for girls, remains non-functional. “Empowerment remains a distant dream – limited to slogans and promises,” said Seema Kumari of Mohania, Kaimur.
