Surge in Women Faculty: Higher Education

During the ongoing monsoon session, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed Lok Sabha that there has been a significant 61.3% increase in the number of women holding permanent positions in India’s higher educational institutions between 2016-17 and 2020-21.

The minister also highlighted that the ratio of females to males in permanent academic positions has risen from 53 in 2016-17 to 60 in 2020-21.

According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) for 2020-21, there are 84,226 females and 1,40,221 males in permanent academic positions, which include Professor and Equivalent, Reader and Associate, Lecturer/Assistant Professor, Demonstrator/Tutor, in universities and institutions across the country. Among these, 3008 females and 7173 males hold permanent academic positions in the Institutes of Eminence.

Since 2016-17, the number of females in permanent academic positions in universities and similar institutions has risen from 52,216 to 84,226, reflecting the 61.3% increase, as stated by the minister.

The government has implemented several initiatives to enhance gender diversity in academic positions. Schemes, scholarships, fellowships, and proactive measures have been introduced to encourage female students and scholars to participate at higher levels of education.

These efforts have resulted in a remarkable 60% increase in female PhD enrolments, from 59,242 in 2016-17 to 95,088 in 2020-21. This surge in female scholars provides more opportunities for women to pursue academic positions in higher education, according to the minister.
Re-reported from the article originally published in The New Indian Express