Gender studies not a popular choice among men

A course in gender studies would, in most colleges and universities, include discussions on subjects that affect both men and women.

A course in gender studies would, in most colleges and universities, include discussions on subjects that affect both men and women.

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However, the gender discourse is limited just to women. In all gender studies courses in the country and also abroad, the number of women are much larger as compared to men.

At Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Gender Studies has become a very popular course over the years yet men form only a handful of the total strength of the class in a good year. In a bad year, there would be a lone man in the whole post graduate class.

The trend is not specific to India. According to a report published in the Guardian, London, at universities such as London School of Economics, Cardiff and Leeds, the number of men taking up gender studies is abysmally low.

"In my class of over 100 students, there is not a single man," said Devika Menon, a student at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex.

"Some component of gender studies should be incorporated in the curriculum for students at all levels," said Vibha Chaturvedi, former director, Women Studies and Development Centre, Delhi University.