The present study was an effort to know the extent of participation of women elected members in Panchayati Raj institutions. Total fifty women representatives randomly selected from all the Panchayats of Pusa Block of Samstipur district of Bihar. The tool used for collecting information was an interview schedule. The findings revealed that majority of women had low participation in functioning of Gram Panchayat &forty five out of fifty respondents were punctual in attending meetings. In order to determine the conditions governing the participation of women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and the influence of various factors over this, the data were subjected to coefficient of correlation, multiple regression and path analysis. The results of correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis clearly indicated that the participation by women representative was positively and significantly correlated only with caste (r=0.3884, p>0.01) &‘t’ value of social linkage was negative but significant at 1 per cent level of probability (t= -3.73)

Keyword: Participation; PRIs (Panc