Colleges exclusively for women?
The University Grants Commission's 12th Plan document proposes a whopping 20 universities and 800 colleges be built and set aside exclusively for women. Why do we need these exclusive colleges for women? Will such a move enable women's education to take a giant leap? Will it motivate greater numbers of women to enroll in colleges and universities? Can women achieve excellence by going to exclusively women's education institution? Many people's answer to all these questions is 'No'. According to them to work out such a segregationist agenda in the 21st century is not appropriate. This is like imitating a fundamentalist state like Saudi Arabia which is devoted to single-sex colleges and universities. India is too advanced a nation to imitate a backward country like Saudi Arabia.
What is UGC worried about? Does it feel that in mixed colleges there exist issues like harassment of women or lack of gender sensitivity? In that case there are better ways of tackling these problems. Ensure safe campus environments, better security, training in gender sensitivity, sufficient toilets for women, etc. Educational institutions and workplaces should not be gender-segregated. Segregation will certainly not bridge the gender gap. It will prevent young people from learning to deal with the opposite gender. This is a very conservative policy.
It is surprising to see some people calling this UGC proposal a bold move. They say that it will bring about greater equity in higher education and will increase higher education opportunities for women. They cite the example of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan which has ensured greater gender parity in school education. But what about higher education? The number of women continuing with higher education is still very low. Most of the women prefer to pursue arts, science and commerce. Very few of them prefer to take up careers in law, medicine, engineering and management although these are the fields which can provide greater employment opportunities.
According to those people who support UGC's new policy, the emergence of women universities and colleges in states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan and West Bengal will encourage more and more women in these regions to pursue higher education and thus come on par with men.
However, even if UGC comes up with exclusive colleges for women, it will be left to the women to decide whether they want to enroll themselves in co-educational or exclusive institution. Modern women will surely opt for the former.
The University Grants Commission's 12th Plan document proposes a whopping 20 universities and 800 colleges be built and set aside exclusively for women. Why do we need these exclusive colleges for women? Will such a move enable women's education to take a giant leap? Will it motivate greater numbers of women to enroll in colleges and universities? Can women achieve excellence by going to exclusively women's education institution? Many people's answer to all these questions is 'No'. According to them to work out such a segregationist agenda in the 21st century is not appropriate. This is like imitating a fundamentalist state like Saudi Arabia which is devoted to single-sex colleges and universities. India is too advanced a nation to imitate a backward country like Saudi Arabia.
What is UGC worried about? Does it feel that in mixed colleges there exist issues like harassment of women or lack of gender sensitivity? In that case there are better ways of tackling these problems. Ensure safe campus environments, better security, training in gender sensitivity, sufficient toilets for women, etc. Educational institutions and workplaces should not be gender-segregated. Segregation will certainly not bridge the gender gap. It will prevent young people from learning to deal with the opposite gender. This is a very conservative policy.
It is surprising to see some people calling this UGC proposal a bold move. They say that it will bring about greater equity in higher education and will increase higher education opportunities for women. They cite the example of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan which has ensured greater gender parity in school education. But what about higher education? The number of women continuing with higher education is still very low. Most of the women prefer to pursue arts, science and commerce. Very few of them prefer to take up careers in law, medicine, engineering and management although these are the fields which can provide greater employment opportunities.
According to those people who support UGC's new policy, the emergence of women universities and colleges in states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan and West Bengal will encourage more and more women in these regions to pursue higher education and thus come on par with men.
However, even if UGC comes up with exclusive colleges for women, it will be left to the women to decide whether they want to enroll themselves in co-educational or exclusive institution. Modern women will surely opt for the former.
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