Presently women play a pivotal role in the economic welfare of the family. Women
contribute to more than half of the duties and responsibilities of the family but are hardly
thus permitted to participate in the decision-making process. They are denied of their
rights; they are forced to only do domestic work and look after their children. The
Position of women in Indian society has witnessed a great change from their previous
status in ancient, middle and more specifically in the modern period (Jain, 2003). With
the advent of industrialisation and modernisation, women have assumed greater
responsibility, both at home and at the work place. In the present scenario, there are
many working women, who are highly educated and have taken up jobs in various fields.
They are working, earning and supporting their family, although their percentage of
income is still quite less than men (Desai et al., 2011). Even if a woman is employed,
she may not have complete control over the income which she earns and cannot take any
decision on her own, as she is being controlled by various members in the family. The
power of decision making is influenced by the level of knowledge (Muzamil Jan and
Shubeena Akhtar, 2008). Education is recognized as a major instrument in empowering
women, which may help a woman to have a better understanding of her rights,
responsibilities and this makes her more confident to participate in taking decisions for
her family.
