The objectives of study were: (1) To study the growth and development of Women’s Education in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. (2) To assess the factors which facilitate the growth and development of Women’s Education in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. (3) To study the present status of Women’s Education in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. (4) To study the existing school and collegiate curricula in relation to Women’s need in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. (5) To study the causes of wastage and stagnation of Women’s Education in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. (6) To study the availability of employment for women in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra after their completion of school and college education. (7) To study the measures provided by the Central, State Government and other agencies towards the Women’s Education in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. (8) To suggest measures to improve the Women’s Education in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. 

The hypotheses of study were: (1) The facilitating factors which promote Women’s Education do not exist sufficiently (at least 50% as the Female population is more than 50% i.e. 54.77% in the Women’s Education in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra) in terms of (a) Girls enrollment at primary; secondary, higher secondary and tertiary levels; (b) Appointment of lady to teach at all levels; (c) Hostel facilities at all levels; (d) Special Institution for girls’ at all levels; (e) Assess to educational institution for girls at all levels; and (f) Provision of private and governmental facilities to promote girls education at all levels. (2) The present educational curriculum at all levels – primary, secondary and tertiary is not suitable to fulfill the needs of women in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. (3) The economic inadequacy leads to the wastage and stagnation in Women’s Education in Rantagiri district of Maharashtra. (4) The parent’s social attitude toward Women’s Education in Ratnagiri district is not congenial. (5) The absence of provision of immediate employment opportunities for women after the completion of education at all levels has demotivated the women of Ratnagiri district in the area of education. 

The sample comprised of one hundred parents from each taluka of Ratnagiri district selected through simple random sampling technique and five hundred girls from the Ratnagiri district using convenience sampling technique to find out the girls choice of subjects.

For the purpose of collecting information related to women’s education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels in Ratnagiri district, the validated questionnaire for the heads of the institutions was developed. Schedules were used to collect information from the parents towards their girls’ education. Observation schedule for the departments of the Zilla Parishad, Ratnagiri was used to collect relevant information about the employment opportunities for women in Ratnagiri district. Check list was used to collect information from the girl students about their choice of subjects for study. 

The investigator adopted the descriptive method of research. For carrying out the in-depth study, the educational institutions at primary, secondary, higher secondary and degree college levels of the nine talukas’ of Ratnagiri district have been taken for the study. 

The mean, median, mode, standard deviation and correlation coefficients were calculated for data analysis. 

The findings of study were: (1) There are 17 girls schools as against 2525 schools meant for boys at primary level in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, during the period 1991-1992, resulting in the percentage of girls’ institutions as 0.66%. (2) There are 238 secondary schools in Ratnagiri district during the period 19991-1992, of which 7 secondary schools are meant for girls resulting in the percentage of girls’ institutions as 2.94%. (3) There is no single higher secondary school (Junior college level) and degree college meant exclusively for girls in Ratnagiri district. (4) The annual rate of increment in girls enrollment at primary level in Ratnagiri district is found to be 1.68% during the period 1961-62 to 1990-91. (5) The annual rate of increment of girls enrollment at secondary level in Ratnagiri district is found to be 17.48% during the period 1961-62 to 1990-91. (6) The annual rate of increment of girls enrollment at higher secondary level in Ratnagiri district is found to be 3.13% during the period 1975-75 to 1990-91. (7) The annual rate of increment in girls’ enrollment at degree level in Ratnagiri district is found to be 11.25% during the period 1961-62 to 1990-91. (8) The rate of wastage and stagnation in girls’ education at primary level in Ratnagiri district is found to be 56.92% during the period 1984-85 to 1990-91. (9) The rate of wastage and stagnation in girls’ education at secondary level in Ratnagiri district is found to be 69.67% during the period 1988-89 to 1990-91. (10) The rate of wastage and stagnation in girls’ education at higher secondary level in Ratnagiri district is found to be 37.13% during the period 1989-90 to 1990-91. (11) The rate of wastage and stagnation in girls’ education at post degree level in Ratnagiri district is found to be 50.22% during the period 1988-89 to 1990-91. (12) The wastage in terms of infrastructure  Governmental expenditure at primary level is found to be Rs. 68973.92 which is 0.099% of the state expenditure for the year 1990-91 as per the sample study. The private infrastructure expenditure at same level is found to be Rs. 26037.50 related to 32.35% failure and 18.13% drop out of at primary level. At secondary level, it is found that Rs. 563371.60 as infrastructure governmental expenditure related to 0.012% of the state expenditure for the year 1990-91 as per the sample study. The private infrastructure expenditure at the same level of education is found to be Rs. 201723. 75% related to 66.83% of failure and 17.01% drop out of girl students. At higher secondary level, the infrastructure governmental expenditure is found to be Rs. 88518.30 which is related to 76% of the state expenditure for the year 1990-91 as per the sample study. The private infrastructure expenditure at the same level of education is found to be Rs. 25776.75 which is related to 35.68% failure and 8.45% drop outs of girl students. According to sample study, the wastage on general opportunity cost expenditure on girl students for standard I to XII (free-ship in education for girl) is found to be Rs. 12664.40 as against state governmental expenditure of Rs. 571000.00 for Ratnagiri district for the year 1990-91. At tertiary level the governmental infrastructure  expenditure is found to be Rs. 496210.06 which is related to 0.0043% of the state expenditure. The private infrastructure expenditure at the same level of education is found Rs. 725913.96 which is related to 2.590% failure and 8.25% drop out of girl students. (13) As regards the facilitating factors towards women’s education in Ratnagiri district: (a) The percentage of lady teachers is found at primary level 39.80%, at secondary level 20.98%, at higher secondary level 5.11%, and at degree level 12.12% during the year 1990-91. (b) The percentage of girls availing hostel facilities is found 0.13 at primary level, 0.77% at secondary level, 0.90% at higher secondary level and 2.72% at degree level during the year 1990-91. (c) The special institution for girls is found 0.66% at primary level, and 2.94% at secondary level during the year 1990-91. (d) The access to reach the institutions of education by the women scholars is found 2.96% at lower primary, 3.30% at upper primary level, and 6.41% at secondary level by walking the distance of 1 to 5 kms during the year 1990-91. (e) As per the measures provided by state government and other agencies, 4.01% of women are found availing the benefit of Savitribai Dattak Palak Yojana during the year 1990091. 2.72% girl students have availed the benefit from special private grants in Ratnagiri district during year 1990-91 at primary level. 93.31% girls utilized state government facility of free-ship in education during the year 1990-91. 88.25% girls at higher secondary level have availed the benefit of state governmental facility of free-ship in education during the year 1990-91. (f) As for the employment opportunities, the percentage is NIL’ of female employee at class – I cadre, 3.73% at class-II cadre, 53.41% for class-III cadre and 22.72% for class-IV cadre at various departments of Zilla Parishad, Ratnagiri. The employment in public and private sector in Ratnagiri district is found to be 16.52% and 10.81% respectively during the year 1990-91. There is no immediate provision of employment for women scholars in Ratnagiri district after their completion of school and college level education. (14) There is a positive attitude of the parents towards girls’ education in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. (15) Incorporation of productive subjects based on local economy is emphasized at every level of education to suit the needs of women scholars.