Logo

Synopsis Does the Indian higher education system fulfil the stated objective of the National Policy of Education that with respect to the status of women, "education will be used to neutralise the accumulated distortions of the past?" Though it is true that India has over one thousand colleges and five universalities exclusively for women, do such large numbers alone suffice to rectify years of discrimination? Will merely providing access to higher education correct centuries of neglect? What happens after such access has been provided? In this book, Jaya Indiresan analyses what these women’s colleges are doing for moving beyond access and academics. Utilising a bank of indicators, she has developed a Gender Positive Initiative Index (GPPI). In-depth case studies of Pace Setting Women’s Colleges, their leaders, teachers, students and alumni lead to the identification of a variety of useful curricular and non-curricular interventions, strategies adopted by them with much success. Educational policy makers, administrators and planners (above all teachers who are the implementers and change agents) will find these findings profitable. This book should go a long way in facilitating efforts at women’s empowerment.