Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Thursday said women should strive to become "expert mothers" before aspiring to careers as IAS officers or teachers, stressing that professional success should not come at the expense of family responsibilities.
Addressing the 41st convocation ceremony of a university in Kanpur, the Governor encouraged young women to pursue higher education and continue working after marriage while also fulfilling what she described as their responsibilities towards family and society.
"Whether you become an IAS officer or a teacher, first become an expert mother. Everyone should know how to cook the food prepared at home," Patel said while addressing graduates, parents and faculty members.
Education And Family Should Go Together
Patel, who is also the Chancellor of state universities in Uttar Pradesh, said daughters should not discontinue their education after marriage. Instead, she urged women to use their education, skills and knowledge for nation-building while maintaining strong family values.
She also advised parents to remain actively involved in their children's upbringing even after they enter schools and colleges.
"Parents should know what their children are doing after they enter educational institutions. Even a small lapse in supervision can adversely affect their future," she said.
Concern Over Drugs Near Campuses
During her address, the Governor also spoke about rising drug abuse around university hostels. She revealed that a monitoring team constituted by the Raj Bhavan had uncovered instances where narcotics were allegedly being supplied through food delivery containers.
According to Patel, administrative intervention helped dismantle the alleged network.
Focus On Moral Values
Linking crimes against women and domestic violence to declining moral standards, Patel said education should not be judged solely by academic qualifications.
"If degrees are increasing but society continues to witness such crimes, it reflects the true state of our education. Moral values are as important as academic knowledge," she said.
Series Of Remarks On Women And Family
Patel's comments come days after she made similar remarks at other university events across Uttar Pradesh.
At a mother-daughter conference in Lucknow on July 8, she stressed the importance of women's health, nutrition, anaemia awareness, menstruation, menopause and maternal care. She also directed universities to conduct regular health check-ups for girl students, install BMI testing facilities and introduce courses on garbh sanskar focusing on maternal nutrition and foetal development.
