B.Ed still a preferred course for girls, but trend changing

Teachers say guys opting for teaching course to be able to bag government jobs

If numbers could speak, they would say that only women want to become teachers, or at least in Delhi University they do.

The maximum number of applications that the university has received this year for its Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) course is from female students. This trend, sources said, was common to the varsity in the past few years.

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Of the 16,390 applications received this year, there are about 12,837 female applicants as opposed to just 3,553 males. The course has a total of 250 seats and an entrance test is held to admit students. Even last year the number of female applicants was much higher compared to male aspirants.

Of the total 250 seats, 100 seats are at the Central Institute of Education, 100 at the Maharishi Valmiki College of Education and 50 at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College of Education.

Teachers at Central Institute of Education said teaching usually has been considered as a ‘feminized’ job. But they do admit that the trend has been changing.

“I am not talking in terms of numbers and statistics, but on the basic of observation. The trend has been changing. There are also a lot of male candidates enrolling in the teachers education programme now,” said Namita Ranganathan, professor at DU’s Department of Education.

She attributes the changing trend to the less number of government jobs available in the country. “There are very few government jobs on offer. Hence, male candidates often opt for this course. Teaching is considered and is one of the most respectable government jobs,” said Ranganathan.

The Bachelor of Elementary Education course is also very popular among female students as the course is just offered in 8 all girls colleges.