Remote Working and the Pandemic Impact on the Future of Female Students
Overview
This research paper examines how remote working arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively impacted female students' career prospects and educational progress in India. Based on a survey of 200 female students in tier-1 Indian cities, the paper argues that pandemic-induced remote work has exacerbated existing gender inequalities by forcing women to assume disproportionate domestic responsibilities, limiting their professional development and leadership opportunities.
What this research paper covers
- Introduction addressing gender inequality tensions and pandemic-induced work-from-home transformation
- Survey findings on gender disparities including domestic burden (86.5%), leadership underrepresentation (87.5%), and role model scarcity (50%+)
- Analysis of barriers including negative perceptions of career-oriented women (38.5%), family commitments, and lack of institutional support
- Discussion of campus-level progress with 81.5% reporting equal opportunities, contrasted against pandemic regression
Preview
Women's Future and Thinking About the Pandemic and Career/School
The tension to achieve gender equality is an ongoing struggle as society has divided everything into masculine and feminine roles. In India, women struggle towards economic and work equity and social justice. While there is progress is sealing the equity gaps, many women fear about their future because of the new challenges from the pandemic. The outbreak has forced people to start working from home, transforming and influencing women’s future and thinking about career and school.
Based on a recent survey involving 200 female students in tier 1 cities of India, the ingrained gender disparities and coronavirus outbreak challenges disadvantage women progress. Due to the social constructs and stereotypes, women's performance within the home environment is limited. Women are facing new work and career challenges, which demand drastic change to realize gender equality in our world.
From the survey, 86.5% acknowledged that women participate in nurturing and care-giving roles more than men. The impact is that, while almost all people are working from home, women are forced to undertake home-making duties such as child care. Therefore, they have a competitive disadvantage compared to men. The pandemic has changed women’s perception about their careers and skill acquisition. As people undertake professional responsibilities from home, they are imposed with limitations and rendered unable to exercise and improve their abilities. With additional responsibilities at home, many women lack sufficient time to fulfill their work and study obligations.