How Girls in Haryana Village Fought for Bus Services To Attend College

"If we are not given the opportunity to study, how can we even fulfill our dreams?" the girls wrote.

In the village of Devipur in Haryana's Karnal district, no girl has ever made it to college despite clearing class 12 exams. The reason? Years of patriarchy and lack of bus services from their village to the nearest college in the district.

A group of girls from the village decided to challenge this, and wrote to the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Jasbir Kaur. Within days, the bus services began – giving the girls who graduate this year a shot at pursuing higher education.

In the letter, addressed to the CJM on 24 May, a group of high school girls from the village wrote, "If we are not given the opportunity to study, how can we even fulfill our dreams?"

"People here believe that no matter how hard the girls study, they will eventually have to return home and marry. If a parent sends their daughter to study outside and she gets a ride from someone, people tend to associate them in an undesirable way. The girl is prevented from going anywhere, even to schools and colleges. What is our fault in all this?"