Institutes must plan week-long activities for Women’s Day: UGC

The Universities Grants Commission (UGC) has directed universities and colleges to organise week-long activities focussing on gender sensitisation and equality to

The Universities Grants Commission (UGC) has directed universities and colleges to organise week-long activities focussing on gender sensitisation and equality to mark the International Women’s Day on March 8.

HT Image

Colleges and universities have been directed to prepare reports and record videos of the activities and upload them on the UGC’s portal.

In a notice issued on Friday to all universities and affiliated colleges, UGC secretary Rajnish Jain said, “All universities and their affiliated colleges are requested to undertake activities a week prior to International Women’s Day [from March 1 to 7], as well as on March 8, 2020.” The activities must focus on gender sensitisation, equality, women’s health, education, empowerment, safety and security, he said.

This is the first time the UGC has asked universities to hold week-long celebrations to promote equal opportunity for women in academic spaces.

The notice further stated that some activities that can be undertaken during the week.

These include workshops, lectures, quizzes, debates, street-plays, marathon, walkathon, cyclothon, cultural events or any suitable activities based on the said theme. In line with the notice, the University of Mumbai has planned a host of activities to be carried out through the week, said pro-vice-chancellor Ravindra Kulkarni.

To increase the representation of women in higher education, the apex body governing higher educational institutes has announced three fellowships/ scholarships for women researchers.