Neglect of Women’s Studies

For the past two years, women’s studies scholars across the country had been keenly awaiting guidelines from the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding the further development of women’s studies centres (WSCs) in Indian universities and colleges. It was expected that the new guidelines would adhere to the public notice issued by the secretary, UGC on 24 August 2017, which categorically assured the public that there was no proposal to cut funding/support to WSCs funded by the UGC. It has, therefore, come as a shock that the new guidelines, issued on 12 March 2019, suggest that a major cut is indeed being envisaged for all WSCs in universities.

As per the new guidelines, the allocation for university centres has been fixed at ₹35 lakh per annum. Such an amount would mean a drastic cut in annual fund allocation by ₹12.5 lakh for Phase II centres, ₹29 lakh for Phase III centres, and ₹40 lakh for advanced centres for women’s studies in universities.