Page 21 - NIS ENGLISH 1-15 May, 2026

New India and
Women-led
Leadership
Cover Story

The women of our nation, our Nari
Marching Ahead Shakti, have scaled new heights
through their hard work, courage,
n The daughters of the nation are touching the
heights of the sky by becoming fighter pilots. and self-confidence. Now, we
n India boasts the highest percentage of female must collectively infuse this power
with fresh energy and expand the
pilots compared to any other country in the world. opportunities available to them. I wish
n The number of women enrolled in PhD to assure every mother, sister, and
programmes has nearly doubled compared to daughter across the country that the
2014 figures. nation understands their aspirations
n Women’s participation in mathematics and and is taking every necessary step to
science, specifically STEM education, has
reached 43 percent. realize their dreams.
n In 21 states, women’s participation in Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
Panchayats has reached nearly 50 percent.

Assemblies. While reservation of seats for Scheduled
Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) already exists, the 33
percent reservation for women was to be ensured within
this existing framework. However, the legislation enacted
in 2023 was formally notified on April 16, 2026. This implies
that while the 33 percent reservation for women will indeed
be implemented, there will be a procedural delay in its
actualization.
In fact, the Women's Reservation Bill was first introduced
in 1996—during the tenure of former Prime Minister H.D.
Deve Gowda—in the 11th Lok Sabha. Subsequently, in De-
cember 1998, the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee
introduced the Bill in the 12th Lok Sabha. Later, during the
tenure of the Manmohan Singh government, the Bill was
not introduced in the Lok Sabha; instead, it was presented
in the Rajya Sabha in May 2008. It was then referred to a
of policy, integrity, decisiveness, and leadership. The Central Parliamentary Standing Committee; following the submis-
Government envisions that, in the construction of a 'Devel- sion of the Committee's report, the Bill was passed by the
oped India', women will serve as the vanguard—empowered, Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010, and sent to the Lok Sabha.
capable, and steering the nation toward its destiny. However, with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha, the
Bill lapsed. Now, during the 17th Lok Sabha, Prime Minister
WOMEN'S RESERVATION... THE Narendra Modi's government introduced the Nari Shakti
JOURNEY CONTINUES Vandan Adhiniyam in a new avatar, which was passed by
Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar once remarked: "If both Houses of Parliament with near unanimity. The enact-
women are making progress in any country, then I believe ment of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in September
that society—that nation—is truly progressing." Giving 2023 has ensured a 33 percent representation for women.
concrete shape to this vision, the Central Government, as Furthermore, there are currently 14.5 Lakh elected women
early as 2023, enacted provisions—through a Constitution- representatives in Panchayati Raj Institutions—constituting
al Amendment—to implement a 33 percent reservation approximately 46 percent of the total representatives—
for women in the Union Territory of the National Capital serving as a shining example of women's robust participa-
Territory of Delhi, the Lok Sabha, and the State Legislative tion in decision-making and a truly empowered democracy.

May 01-15, 2026 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 19