New Delhi: The Centre has asked central universities to explore establishing working women's hostels on campuses with government support, Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said on Tuesday.
Speaking at an event, Irani said seven central universities have submitted proposals in response to the government's initiative.
"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.
Number of women who are pursuing PhD goes up
Irani said the proposal has been made keeping in mind working women who are also pursuing higher studies and their need to find a cost-effective way to do both.
"Seven central universities have submitted their proposals in writing and I am hopeful that in the next two weeks this number doubles and it will be 100 per cent infrastructurally provided for between the Women and Child Development Ministry with some possible help from our friends in state governments," she added.
Irani also said the number of women who are now pursuing PhD has gone up by 99 per cent.
"This was made possible because credits became mobile in our academic structures. The new education policy not only provides opportunities for not only men, women and children to learn in their mother tongue but at the same time provide a framework for mobility of credits. The impact of women in higher education is now noteworthy," she added.
EV industry sees increased female workforce
Irani also said there are many emerging industries that employ a diverse set of women who not only complement the administrative force of a country but can also become the foundation of an industry.
"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 per cent 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, ancillary sectors," she said.
Irani expressed hope that the next time "we meet, we earmark the emerging technology-based industry and opportunity for women to be employed and become employers in such industry".
