IMPHAL, Jan 20: A five-day sensitization, awareness and motivation workshop for capacity building of women managers in higher education organized by Imphal College under the sponsorship of University Grants Commission (UGC) in collaboration with Manipur University was inaugurated today at the Multipurpose Hall of Imphal College, Kwakeithel Lamdong, Imphal.
The inaugural function was graced by Prof. C. Amuba, vice-chancellor of Manipur University, RK Radhapyari, principal i/c of Imphal College, Prof. N. Lokendro, registrar of Manipur University, and Padma Ramacharan, former vice-chancellor of MS University, Baroda, as the chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.
Addressing the inaugural function of the workshop, Prof. Amuba stressed on the role of women in decision and policy making activities which are largely dominated by their male counterparts.
Gender biases in the society should be removed and the women should be given ample opportunity to prove their caliber and talents rather than suppressing them for the sake of showing male dominance in the society, he noted.
Amuba further maintained that the women faculty members who are going to participate in the workshop should take utmost benefits for building up their capacity to be eligible for the administrative posts in higher education sector.
So far there has been no woman vice-chancellor in Manipur but in the coming years it is very hopeful to have women in the top administrative posts such as vice-chancellor, pro vice-chancellor, registrar, finance controller and examination controller, the vice-chancellor of Manipur University asserted.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Padma Ramacharan stated the sensitization, awareness and motivation (SAM) workshops have been organizing by the UGC since 2003 for the benefits of women who have the caliber and determination to be at the top brass of administration in the higher education sector.
The women participants of the workshop can develop their capacity both of skill and personality after interacting with various core group resource persons, she added.
The registrar of Manipur University, N. Lokendra stated that a centre for women’s studies will be opened soon at Manipur University under the financial assistance from UGC and the centre will surely help the women of the state to undergo in-depth researches and studies in the present context of women empowerment.
Delivering the key-note address, the coordinator of SAM workshop, Dr. Meinam Binota stated that women are not what they used to be in earlier times and that women all over the world have made significant strides in all fields.
She said that there are now 22 women rulers in the world today and India has also got the first woman President and first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha. As many as nine women personalities are heading the corporate world of India. There are nine women vice-chancellors against the total number of 70, two pro pro vice-chancellors against 24, two proctor/rector against 19, 50 deans against 367, six registrars against 77, 27 deputy registrars against 298, 67 assistant registrars against 504, five controller of examination against 57, three finance officers against 66, nine librarians against 51, 723 academic council members against 42167, 31 members of finance committee against 400 and 31 members of finance boards against 400 in Indian universities.
Binota further said that women are yet to be exposed to the field of education and they need to go beyond the domain of kitchen and free themselves from the traditional stereotypes of women as passive, dependent, irrational.
Altogether 35 women faculty members of various reputed colleges of the state including RIMS and JNIMS are participating in the workshop that will continue till January 24.
