Unfortunately the article lacks the history of women before 1961. Education may be more widespread today but Goan women were never left in a shrouded mentality like the rest of bharat before 61. BC
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Final-hurdle-remains-for-Goan-women/articleshow/54186489.cms Interesting findings in the most recent All India Survey of Higher Education confirm Goan female students steadily outperform and strive higher than male colleagues, and are now rapidly distancing themselves from counterparts in other states. It is another set of good news that gives reason for cautious optimism for the quality of life, relative freedom, and access to opportunity that is available in Goa, even while none of these things can be taken for granted just across state borders. But it is also apparent some big challenges still remain. The survey ranked Goa the leading state in the country (Kerala was second) for the ratio of women pursuing college education, both undergraduate and postgraduate. When it comes to students pursuing advanced doctoral studies, the break-up is particularly striking. Just over 61% of the PhD candidates in Goa are female, no other state comes close. The Goa University registrar, Y. V. Reddy says ?this scenario in Goa is completely opposite of what it is in the rest of the country.? In fact, the higher education statistics are but one strong indicator of how women in India?s smallest state tend to fare better than their counterparts in many other parts of the country. For example, Goa is one of the few places in the entire subcontinent where the sex ratio has markedly improved over the past decade, albeit to a still worrisome 966 females per 1000 males. Compare to Maharashtra?s appalling 925/1000, or the national ratio that continues to stall at a deeply unsatisfactory 940/1000. But as innumerable studies and experts in international development have pointed out, the single strongest indicator of the health (and, intriguingly, wealth potential) of a society is the level and standard of women?s education. Educating girls has a cascading effect of positive benefits. It has long been recognized as what former World Bank chief economist Larry Summers termed ?the highest-return investment available in the developing world? leading directly to much better health care, a measurable boost to economic growth, and a valuable increase in civic and political participation.