Smriti Irani Proposes Government-Supported Working Women’s Hostels In Central Universities To Boost Higher Education Access

Union Minister Smriti Irani said on Tuesday that the Centre has requested central universities to investigate creating working women’s hostels on campus with government support.

Irani stated at a gathering that seven central universities have responded to the government’s initiative with proposals.

“We have proposed in a combination — between the (Union) Ministry of Labour and the Women and Child Development Ministry — to our counterparts in the Ministry of Education that our central universities can get additional support from the ministry so they can now build hostels only for working women within the university environment,” she said.

According to Irani, the plan was created with working women who want to pursue higher education in mind, and they need to figure out how to do so on a budget.

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“Seven central universities have submitted their proposals in writing and I am hopeful that in the next two weeks, this number will double and it will be 100 percent infrastructurally provided for between the Women and Child Development Ministry with some possible help from our friends in state governments,” she stated.

Irani added that there are now 99 percent more women pursuing doctorates.

“This was made possible because credits became mobile in our academic structures. The new education policy not only provides opportunities for men, women, and children to learn in their mother tongue but at the same time provides a framework for mobility of credits. The impact of women in higher education is now noteworthy,” she added.

Irani added that a wide range of women are employed in many developing industries, adding to the administrative strength of a nation and potentially laying the groundwork for an industry.

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“For example, the EV industry sold close to 1.5 million electric-based vehicles in 2023. The female workforce in the EV industry is 30 percent but we are poised to increase the availability of women employed only in the EV industry if we have more and more women come in the segment of vehicle design, battery recharge, and ancillary sectors,” she said.

Irani expressed optimism that “we earmark the emerging technology-based industry and opportunity for women to be employed and become employers in such industry” when they next get together.

Source: PTI