November 18: The higher education system continues to be unfair to women even after 50 years of freedom, felt education experts at a seminar on `Women and Higher Education' at the SNDT Women's University today. Said Vice-Chancellor of SNDT Women's University Dr Mariamme Varghese, higher education needs to be reoriented to increase women's access to traditionally male-dominated courses. This will equip them better to take up entrepreneurial management and leadership roles and responsibilities. The seminar was a part of a series of programme organised by the university to mark the 50th anniversary of Indian independence. The meet was aimed at drafting a new agenda for women's higher education, she said.

Former director, Research Centre for Women's Studies, SNDT, Neera Desai, maintained while the jargon has improved from women's welfare to women's empowerment, in reality, much remains to be done, in spite of an increase in access for women to higher education. The policy makers would rather shape a better wife and mother out of a woman than an individual self, she felt.

Chairperson of National Commission, Dr Mohini Giri told Express Newsline that while women form 50 per cent of the population, they comprise only 34 per cent in graduate and post graduate studies and 26.6 per cent in diploma and certificate courses. The issue is more of social justice and gender equality, she added.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.