CHAPTER 3

WOMEN'S STUDIES: ITS

3.1 Introduction

Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary study of women and society from the

standpoint of women’s lived experiences. It provides a counterpoint to the

historically established theories in the various branches of human knowledge and

challenges the predominantly male centric understanding of social institutions and

processes. In its essence, Women’s Studies is both a perspective and a discipline: it

challenges the notions of objectivity of knowledge. (Poonacha, 1999)

A body of literature that embodies the concern for women’s equality and

development and seeks to find explanations and remedies for the unequal position of

women in the society; a set of research and analysis which enquires into the origin

and basis of these discriminatory practices against women, which has come to be

concisely defined as Women’s Studies. {University Grants Commission, 1986).

The UNESCO meeting of experts on Women’s Studies and Social Sciences

in Asia held in Delhi in October, 1982 defined Women’s Studies in terms of the

objectives that such studies sought to achieve as:

• To promote better and balanced understanding of our societies and how

they are responding to the process of change;

• To contribute to the pursuit of human rights;

due importance to the roles actually played by women and men;

• To investigate the causes of disparity, analyzing structural factors in

addition to attitudinal and cultural factors;

• To empower women in their struggle for equality and for an effective

presence in all areas of society and development;

• To render ‘invisible’ women ‘visible’ and in particular the women of the

most underprivileged strata (University Grants Commission, 1986).

The Handbook (1998) of Women’s Studies and Development Centre,

University of Delhi, defines Women’s Studies as “an interdisciplinary approach to

comprehending social organizations from the perspective of women. Recognized the

world over as an academic subject with strong activist potential, Women’s Studies

provides its practitioners with an opportunity to join international efforts to curb

patriarchal oppressions. Women’s Studies can be briefly defined as body of learning

with a directed concern for women’s equality and empowerment. It seeks to find

explanations and remedies for inherited conditions of inequity and injustice that

women have been subjected to, while it analyses the origin and basis of

discriminatory practices against women, Women’s Studies in contemporary practice

enlarges its scope to promote gender sensitization of men, women and communities.

Therefore, Women’s Studies is not merely studies about women or data about

women, but a critical instrument for humanities and social science development in

the context of social reality.”

35
 Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule, Women’s Studies Centre, University of Pune

(2011) defines Women’s Studies Centres as “Women’s Studies is a relatively new

and unique academic discipline... It is a discipline that seeks to assess and challenge

the interlinked axes of oppression in society, viz class, race caste and gender. It seeks

to rediscover the experiences and knowledge of the marginalized sections in history

and in contemporary societies. It seeks an understanding of the material and

ideological structures of women’s oppression. This requires an understanding of the

social, cultural, historical political and economic milieu. Thus Women’s Studies is

by definition interdisciplinary.

Women’s Studies is “the pursuit of a more comprehensive, critical and

balanced understanding of social reality. It’s essential components include

(i) women’s contribution to the social process, (ii) women’s perception of their own

lives, the broader social reality and their struggles and aspirations, (iii) roots and

structures of inequality that lead to marginalization, invisibility and exclusion of

women from the scope, approaches and conceptual frame-works of most intellectual

enquiry and social action. Women’s Studies should thus, not, be narrowly defined as

studies about women or information about women, but be viewed as a critical

instrument for social and academic development” (Mazumdar, 1985).

Women’s Studies, like other recently emerging research, is a study from

below. It not merely seeks information about a depressed section of the society, but

also seeks to look at the social processes from the perspective of that depressed

section. Such a perspective should not merely help to widen the knowledge base

36
regarding social processes and promote new sets of enquiries and concepts in the

academic sphere, but also set in motion a set of new policy approaches that break

fresh round and herald bold action by the Government, the general public and the

social action group.

The objectives of Women’s Studies is defined as “i) to conscientise both men

and women by helping them to understand, recognize and acknowledge the

multidimensional roles played by women in society ii) to promote better

understanding in the process of social, technological and environmental change

iii) to contribute to the pursuit of human rights, iv) to investigate the causes of

gender disparities-analysing structural, cultural and altitudinal factors, v) to

empower women in their struggle against inequality and for effective participation in

all areas of society and development, vi) to render invisible women visible-in

particular women of the underprivileged strata, and to help develop alternative

concepts, approaches, and strategies for development” (Mazumdar, 1985).

3.2 Women’s Studies: its origin

Women’s Studies (WS) originated in the U.S. as “feminist (opposed to

simply focusing on content about women or gender), interdisciplinary (rather than

working within a single traditional discipline) and with its own distinctive

methodological and pedagogical approaches grounded in new epistemologies;” these

premises have constituted the field’s “assumptions for more than forty years”.

37
However, over several decades, through debates, struggles and achievements, WS

courses in the U.S. evolved to reflect an “increasingly diverse and multicultural

world as well. In spite of this, the emphasis on international perspectives on

women’s lives and concerns” were missing from the U.S. curricula until more

recently (Mitra, Bhatia & Chatteijee, 2013).

Women’s Studies has its roots in the Women’s Liberation movement of the

1960’s. It was a period of widespread protests. Participating in these various civil

rights movements women gained political experience; they also realized that none of

the existing system of progressive thought, which affirm the values of freedom,

justice and equality, addressed the question of women’s subordination. The

underlying assumptions being 1) women’s subordination is biological and

determined by the natural order 2) Issues of justice, equality and liberty are the

concerns of the public sphere, i.e. the realm of politics, economy and military and

3) these issues mediated the relationship of the individual or group with the state

(Poonacha,1999).

“In response to the widespread feminist demand, the UN had declared 1975

as the International Women’s Year and held the historic world conference of women

in Mexico. The UN’s plan of action drawn up that year had called for world wide

research investigations, documentations and analysis into the processes in society

that create structures of gender inequalities. This initiative taken by the UN was

keeping with the vision encoded in the various international documents on human

rights such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International

38
Covenant of Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant of Economic,

Social and Cultural Rights” (Poonacha, 2003).

The discipline got its official sanction from the international community,

when based on the recommendation made at the world conference held at Mexico

during 1975, the United Nations declared 1975 -85 as the International Women’s

Decade and adopted a world plan of action to establish gender equality. This

decision of the United Nations was backed by the various international Documents

on Human Rights which recognize the equality of men and Women.

3.3 Women’s Studies in India

“the contemporary feminist movement in India finds its genesis in the report

on the status of women which was published in India in 1975.” The guarantee of

women’s equality in the constitution provided a set of standards to assess women’s

situation in all its aspects. However, the committee’s report “Towards Equality ”,

presented a grim picture of social reality that sharply contrasted with the goals of

equality laid down by the Indian constitution. The alarming decline in sex ratio,

increase in violence against women, the rising illiteracy among women, and the lack

of political and economic participation of women were a dismal reality (Bhatty,

2002). The comprehensive report further “highlighted that instead of changing social

values and attitudes regarding women’s roles, the educational system (with a gender

39
bias) had contributed to strengthening and perpetuating traditional ideas of women’s

subordination through the curricula” (Mitra, Bhatia & Chatteijee, 2013).

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) in 1976 initiated a

new program in WS with three objectives: 1) initiate policy change, 2) develop new

perspectives in social science concepts, methods and theories and 3) revive the

social debate on the women's question. It was against this background that the First

National Conference on WS was convened in Bombay in 1981 which ultimately

culminated into the Indian Association for Women’s Studies (IAWS) - a National

Forum for bringing together academics, activists and policy makers concerned with

women's development. In the years following, this association organized many

seminars and workshops on curriculum development, syllabus revisions and

research programs (Mitra, Bhatia & Chatteijee, 2013).

Women’s Studies entered the university system because of pressures from

the women’s movement articulated in the First National Conference of Women’s

Studies held at SNDT women’s University, Mumbai in 1981.

It was not until 1987 in the UN decade for women that University Grants

Commission (UGC) of India invited proposals from universities to establish WS

centers. Institutionally, the face of WS has taken the shape of research centers and

Women’s Studies centers in universities. Mainly, the centers had the mandate to

raise awareness, do independent research and community action. Now there are

about sixty-seven such centers in different phases of development. Over the years,

40
the centers’ work expanded and even modified thrust areas that are ‘disciplinary,

interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary’ (John, 2008).

In the last decade that UGC started emphasizing teaching WS courses. From

the late 1980s onwards, the Indian Council of Social Science Research’ (ICSSR) and

UGC have actively guided the development of WS within the university system.

Now, WS is included in the UGC's list of disciplines.WS has developed into a

discipline with its own distinct curriculum over the years. But the “centers are all

relatively small, often with no full-time faculty, fragile and under-funded” (John,

2005). Given the uncertainty, limited funding and real marginality, a degree in WS

in India still lacks the status of other degrees in humanities or social sciences

(John, 2008).

3.31 Education and Development of Women’s Studies

"Educate a man and you educate one person; educate a woman and you

educate a whole nation" said MK Gandhi.

Today, this thought stands true more than anything. Long gone is the time

when even girls going to school was a struggle; women today want the best of

education. The earliest effort to educate girls’ was made by Christian missionaries.

In the city of Bombay (now Mumbai) the first school for girls was started in 1824.

The Women’s Indian Association and the National Council for Women are

the two significant precursors of the premier institution- All India Women’s

41
Conference (AIWC),was established in 1927.The conference first took agenda on

female education and later on included social transformation in its agenda realizing

the fact that education alone could not effectively eradicate social evils. It can be

considered as a vanguard women’s organization in the pre independence era.

After the independence the Indian government also promoted education

towards building a better society. The constitution of India which was introduced in

1950, also included a number of important provisions towards women welfare, such

as, Article 15(3) empowered the state to take special provisions for the welfare and

development of women and children, Article 16 promulgated non discrimination in

public employment on ground of sex. Article 45 imposed direct responsibility for

providing education on the state.

After independence the first major step towards a comprehensive review of

the education system was the establishment of the University Education

Commission or the Radhakrishnan Commission which was the first body to review

the education system of the country, which submitted its report in 1949, followed by

Secondary Education (Mudaliar) Commission in 1952-53, the National Committee

(Durgabai Deshmukh) on Women’s Education in 1958-59. The recommendations of

the Hansa Mehta Committee on Differentiation in curricula for Boys and Girls in

1964 were endorsed by the Indian Education Commission (1966); well known as

Kothari Commission- which was followed by the National Policy on Education

which came only in 1986 with its plan of action. Both documents were revised

further in 1992.

42
 The National Policy on Education (NPE) adopted by Parliament in 1986, for

the first time prescribed a new "role" for the national educational system of

providing "education for women's equality," through the revision of curricula, the

reorientation of teachers and planners, and direct involvement in women's

empowerment.

The National Policy on Education (NPE) adopted by Parliament in May

1986 had reiterated the view that women studies involved a three-fold thrust of

teaching, research and extension within the university system. The NPE had

emphasized the need to gear the entire education system to a positive, interventionist

role in the empowerment of women. The target was, obviously, university students.

In the NPE section "Education for Equality", it is envisaged that "the national

education system would foster the development of new values through redesigned

curricula, textbooks, the training and orientation of teachers, decision-makers and

administrators and the active involvement of educational institutions... Women

studies will be promoted as a part of various courses and educational institutions

encouraged to take up active programmes to further women's development"

(Rajalakshmi, 2003).

The Indian council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and later the

National Policy of Education (NPE 1986, which was updated in 1992) identified

Women’s Studies as a critical instrument of social and educational development.

One of the major outcome of National Policy of Education was. the entry of

the University Grants Commission into this field and its enunciation of guidelines

43
for the promotion of Women’s Studies which clearly reflect the objectives of the

Women’s Studies movement, through the setting up of Women’s Studies Centres in

various universities of India in the mid-1980s.

The announcement of the National Policy on education in January 1985 and

the formulation of the guidelines on Women’s Studies by the UGC in 1986

represented the first phase of the legitimization of Women’s Studies in the formal

educational system.

In India, the National Commission on The Status of Women was set up

(1972) to examine the status of women in the country and their problems. The

findings of the committee, known as the Toward Equality Report, 1974 showed far

beyond the most pessimistic prediction of the dismal condition of women’s lives.

In response to the UN’s call for action and as a result of the findings of the

Committee on the Status of Women in India, the government of India drew up a

draft national plan of action for women, which accorded priority to the need for

purposive research in education, health, welfare and employment. The plan

emphasized the need for research, to facilitate the designing of appropriate

development and welfare programmes for the weaker sections of women who were

adversely affected by the process of change.

The findings of the committee on the Status of Women in India showed that

despite the constitutional guarantees and the developmental process in the country,

the position of women had not only enhanced but even showed a declining trend, led

to a spate of research for explanations. The Indian Council of Social Science

44
Research initiated “a programme of Women’s Studies” in 1976, with a view to

investigate the critical areas of information gap. It particularly sought to re-examine

analytical concepts, theories and methodological approaches of the social sciences

so as to rectify the intellectual marginalization of women from the field of social

enquiry. This formed the beginning of an organized programme of activities in

Women’s Studies.

The first National Conference on Women’s Studies which was convened in

Bombay in 1981 strongly recommended the incorporation of women’s question in

the university curriculum, in different disciplines. This conference was followed by

the UNESCO Regional workshop on Women’s Studies in Social Sciences in Asia,

held in 1982. This was collaborative effort by UNESCO, ICSSR, UGC and the

Centre for Women’s Development Studies. It initiated further steps towards

developing Women’s Studies in Indian universities, to promote research on issues

concerning women and to incorporate themes on women’s problem in the curricula

of the universities.

3.32 Women’s Studies in the University System

One of the important aspects of Women’s Studies in India is its successful

institutionalization as a higher education programme within the universities and

colleges with curriculum for teaching and research focusing on women and women's

issues.

45
 The 1987 is the year of first establishment of seven Women’s Studies centres

in the university system. In 1986, the UGC issued guidelines to universities, which

provided a definition, objectives and framework for programmes and financial

assistance. The guidelines emphasized the dimensions of teaching, training, research

and extension. Two models were suggested namely Women’s Studies cells within

the departments of colleges and centre’s for Women’s Studies as independent units,

with the status of a department in the university.

The SNDT Women's University pioneered the entry of Women’s Studies into

the Indian university system. The university, established in 1916, aimed at the

establishment of gender equality through education. It established the Research

Centre for Women’s Studies (RCWS) in 1974 to undertake research, teaching,

documentation, publication and community outreach activities aimed at gender

equity. Apart from policy, theoretical and field action research, the RCWS has

contributed significantly to the publication of teaching learning materials and the

training of college/university teachers in Women’s Studies.

The RCWS soon became the model adopted by the University Grants

Commission, New Delhi, for the development of Women’s Studies centres within

Indian universities.

Around this time two more institutions, the Institute of Social Studies Trust

(founded in 1976) and the Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS),

established in 1980 were also established mainly to undertake new research on

women in the context of socio-economic and political transformation.

46
 Until the 1980s, the number of institutions committed to carrying out

Women’s Studies programmes was very minimal. But discussions on the scope and

objectives of Women’s Studies were already taking place in various platforms. The

ICSSR committee defined the main objectives of Women’s Studies programmes as

research on the socio-economic conditions that affect women's lives and thus

generate new data and analysis that add new knowledge and also a critical

perspective to the social science disciplines. Similarly, in 1979, a group of Women’s

Studies scholars in their first discussions on the nature and scope of Women’s

Studies defined its objectives as "transformation of spheres of knowledge

production" with the "new academic search to organise knowledge on various

aspects of women's situation resulting in changes in perspectives about women's

contribution to society and their needs and problems in the context of modernisation,

development and social change"(Anandhi & Swaminathan, 2006).

A cursory glance at some of the early discussions on what constitutes

Women’s Studies make it clear that in the formative years Women’s Studies was

envisaged as "interventionist" within higher education and not as a 'discipline with a

course or curriculum or teaching methods. It was largely perceived to be a "critical

instrument in the educational process". The first National Conference on Women’s

Studies held in 1981 defined Women’s Studies as a "critical perspective" and an

intellectual pursuit in understanding social reality and not as a discipline or as a

separate programme. Instead, it recommended an integration of the women's

question in all disciplines. For the first time, in a joint seminar organised by the

47
IAWS and UGC in 1985, the importance of founding separate Centres for Women’s

Studies within institutions for higher education, to carry out research and teaching in

Women’s Studies was emphasised. In conceptualising the role and status of the

Women’s Studies centres, it was emphasised that they should be "independent and

parallel to the department and faculties" in order to avoid "structural constraints and

delays" in coordinating research and teaching. It was believed that by instituting

Women’s Studies, the educational system would be made accountable "to expand the

social concern against injustice, marginalisation and oppression of women".

Towards this, the centres for Women’s Studies were expected to play a "catalytic

role" in motivating the entire university community to address issues that concern

women's development. Though Women’s Studies was conceptualised primarily as a

research and teaching agenda to be carried out at the institutions for higher

education, there was considerable anxiety to make it relevant to the outside

community. Especially, in the 1980s, as the women's movement gained momentum,

Women’s Studies researchers, teachers and students were urged to link their

scholarship with action programmes of women's groups in order to make it relevant

outside the academic community. When the CWDS was founded as a research

institute to undertake research on women, its founders "tried to balance research and

action in their agenda" (Anandhi & Swaminathan, 2006).

In fact, at phase III these centres are expected to become a resource or nodal

centre in their regions with a special mandate to carry out outstanding academic

works in Women’s Studies. At the third phase, the centres are demanded to be

48
"strong academic centres of teaching and learning, generating new thinking and

knowledge on feminist theory and offering Women’s Studies courses". In other

words, by the time a centre is placed at the third phase, it appears that it is expected

to convert its entire extension works or outreach programmes into academic

activities such as drafting syllabi, etc. (Anandhi & Swaminathan, 2006).

Women’s Studies was introduced in the Indian university system, with the

hope that the existing gap between knowledge and practice can be bridged. Women’s

Studies is therefore not just an academic discipline, but also a means by which social

action is initiated.

Provision for Women’s Studies in the Five Year Plans of Government of India

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has promoted, strengthened and

given direction to the Women’s Studies programmes in the country since the VII

Plan period of Government of India. Women’s Studies Centres have been

established in the University System in the VTH, EX and X Plan periods. They have

contributed significantly to the expansion of Women’s Studies teaching, research

and field action. The guidelines for the XI Plan have taken a broader view of the

Women’s Studies.

Development of women has been receiving attention of the Government

right from the very First Plan (1951-56). But the same has been treated as a subject

of welfare and clubbed together with the disadvantaged groups like destitute,

disabled, aged etc. The Second to Fifth Plans (1956-79) continued to reflect the very

same welfare approach, besides giving priority to women’s education and launching

49
measures to improve maternal and child health services, supplementary feeding for

children and expectant and nursing mothers. The shift in the approach from welfare

to development of women could take place only in the Sixth Plan (1980-85). For the

first time the sixth five year plan included a separate chapter on ‘Women and

Development’. Accordingly, the Sixth Plan adopted a multi-disciplinary approach

with a special thrust on the three core sectors of health, education and employment.

In the Seventh Plan (1985-90), the developmental programs continued with

the major objective of raising their economic and social status and bringing them

into the mainstream of national development. The UGC invited proposals from a

group of universities for organizing centres for Women’s Studies as priority area

during the VIIth Five Year Plan period.

The Eighth Plan (1992-97) with human development as its major focus

played a very important role in the development of women. By the end of the Eight

Plan 22 centres were established in the universities and 11 cells in colleges.

The Ninth Plan (1997-2002) made two significant changes in the conceptual

strategy of planning for women. Firstly, empowerment of women became one of the

primary objectives of the Ninth Plan. Secondly, the plan attempted convergence of

existing services available in both women specific and women-related sectors.

In the Ninth Plan, not only extension activity but advocacy was also

identified as a priority area for the centres to concentrate upon. In that, the guideline

emphasised "partnership and clustering" and networking with various organisations.

Accordingly, the centres were also placed under various phases for funding, etc. For

50
instance, it was required of these centres in their phase I to concentrate on

"networking" which could also mean focusing on extension activities and outreach

programmes. During the 9th plan, 13 new centres were established. Orientation

programmes for new centres were planned and refresher courses in Women’s Studies

were offered at specific Women’s Studies centres.

During the Tenth Plan, universities and colleges with special reference to

women/girls’/girl children were the major target group and beneficiaries as per the

guidelines under the scheme. The UGC centres are expected to follow the objectives

of translating the National Policy for Empowerment of Women (2001) initiated

during Ninth Plan, into action, identify well defined objectives and goals in areas of

prime and potential interest and strength of the centre and to concentrate and

consolidate by creating essential and critical infrastructure and facilities including

faculty and human resources. Identifying target group the centres were to prepare

consolidated and well defined strategic action plan on activities and programmes

within a time frame. The UGC, under the scheme, has been supporting thirty-four

Centres for Women’s Studies including thirteen Centres, created during the IX Plan

period.

In the Tenth Plan, the UGC has funded 51 Centres in the Universities and 16

Centres in the Colleges, under this scheme.

During Eleventh Plan there were 67 Women’s Studies Centres (WSCs)

established in various universities and colleges in the country. In the last four

decades, Women’s Studies has gained in academic stature and developed a rich

51
constituency by supporting University Women’s Studies Centres and facilitating

them to become teaching and research departments in the University System.

Further, the thrust is to develop field action projects for action, research, evaluation

and enhancement of knowledge and partnership across boundaries of

caste/class/religion, community and occupations. To meet these ends, the new focus

emphasizes mentoring, partnership and clustering as well as orientation and training

workshops. The thrust is to involve many more people and many more organizations

in the network as well as to ensure the focus and the quality of this newly emerging

discipline is maintained.

Role of UGC

In order to promote Women’s Studies and to translate the component of

empowerment of women, the University Grants Commission has been playing a

significant role in the venture through the creation of Centres for Women’s Studies

(CWS) by implementation of a scheme on “Development of Women Studies in

Indian Universities and Colleges”.

In 1985, a national seminar organized by the University of Delhi on

“Perspectives and organization of Women’s Studies units in Indian Universities”

sponsored by the UGC and initiated by Indian Association of Women Studies. The

seminar defined the Women’s Studies, discuss the need for alternate methodologies

of research and training and prepared a model curriculum for the under graduate

courses in social sciences. Above all it discussed the methods of organizing

52
Women’s Studies centres/cells in the universities and colleges, their location and

functions.

The inter disciplinary character necessitating the Women’s Studies the

autonomous nature of the Women’s Studies centre, and their equidistance from

various faculties/departments in the universities /colleges so as to enable them to

play an independent, catalytic role and their role to actively intervene to influence

and modify the functioning of the universities came out strongly from the seminar.

Earlier to that in 1983 the UGC had written to Vice-chancellors to consider

ways of integrating women’s issues and concern in the teaching, research, and other

activities of different disciplines. The University Grants Commission appointed a

standing committee to introduce Women’s Studies within the universities In

December 1985; the standing committee of Women’s Studies of UGC had

recommended specific organizational structure and formulated a action plan for the

UGC to initiate activities on Women’s Studies in the universities and colleges. It

identified seven universities from various parts of India to play a leadership in

curriculum, preparation of material, human resource development and also research

in women studies. Following this recommendation the UGC extended financial

assistance and invited proposals for curriculum development in women studies, both

for the undergraduate and post graduate courses from the seven universities of

Banaras, Delhi, Kerala, Punjab, Ranchi and Surat. The UGC also invited proposals

from these universities for organizing centres for Women’s Studies as a priority area

during the seven five year plan. (Kaushik, ad.)

53
 In 1986 the Parliament adopted a National Policy on Education (May 1986),

which included a section on ‘ Education for Women’s Equality’, giving a new

mandate, to the country’s educational system and recognizing Women’s Studies as

an instrument for the empowerment of women. (Sharma,2002)

The support provided by UGC to the establishment of Women’s Studies

centres/cells since the Seventh Five Year plan has led to the visibility of Women’s

Studies in the university system. The UGC schemes on Women’s Studies identify

that this discipline is a critical input to promote better understanding of women’s

contribution to social processes within the societal, technological and environmental

changes and their struggles and aspirations. The various centres are involved in

investigating and removing the structural, cultural and attitudinal causes of gender

discrimination and thus empower women and make them proactive and effective

partners in national and international developments. The four dimensions in

Women’s Studies and research which are under support of UGC are:

i) Research to advance the frontiers of knowledge, develop human

resources and produce teaching learning materials.

ii) Teaching to change present attitude and values of male and female to one

of concern for gender equality by addressing biases and deficiencies in

curriculum and teaching practices.

iii) Training of teachers , decision makers, administrators and planners to

facilitate them to play a positive interventionist role for gender equity

and,

54
 iv) Extension or direct involvement of institutions in women’s development

activities among the community.

UGC has earmarked the following activities to be performed by the UGC

supported Women’s Studies Centres. The major roles and functions may take place

in many directions including:

i) Teaching & Training

ii) Research

iii) Extension

iv) Documentation, Publication, Dissemination and Transmission

v) Advocacy

vi) Seminars & Workshops

vii) Networking & Coordinating with other Agencies

viii) Monitoring & Review

The centres for Women’s Studies were designed to act as catalysts for

promoting and strengthening Women’s Studies. They have been instrumental in

incorporating Women’s Studies in different courses, have facilitated research on

socially relevant subjects, have provided consultations to scholars, and have helped

in evaluating projects, documenting experiences and networking within and outside

the university system. Centres like Research Centre for Women’s Studies, SNDT

55
University; Women’s Studies and Development Centre, University of Delhi; Centre

for Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University and Punjab University have led others.

Women’s Studies entered the university system with the establishment of the

Research Centre for Women’s Studies (RCWS) at the SNDT Women’s University,

Mumbai. SNDT Women’s University is the oldest institute of its kind in India. In

the course of its long history, it has contributed significantly to the promotion of

higher education for women. The introduction of Women’s Studies in the SNDT

Women’s University aimed at providing women with space to conceptualise,

document and preserve their knowledge for posterity.

Brief Description to Some Pioneering Women’s Studies Centres in India

Women’s Studies Centres are now made at par with other academic

departments of the universities leading to Master Degree, M.Phil and PhD degree.

Some of such pioneering Women’s Studies Centres in India are briefly described

below, which are organized in chronological order:

♦ Research Centre for Women’s Studies, SNDT Women’s University

< www.rcwssndt.org/>

A pioneering institution established in 1974, the Research Centre for

Women’s Studies (RCWS) at SNDT University, Mumbai, is the largest and oldest of

its kind in India. During its 39 years of existence, its contribution to the development

of Women’s Studies has been largely recognized, both nationally and internationally.

56
 Since its inception, the RCWS has undertaken several research projects with

generous grants from national and international donor agencies, with a very broad-

based research focus which has led to theoretical studies (some of which have had

policy implications) and action based projects. It has also contributed to the

development of Women’s Studies curriculum and training manuals. It has a well-

established publications programme, including a quarterly newsletter; and it reaches

out into the larger community through its regular seminar series and networking

programmes. It was in recognition of its contribution to the development of

Women's Studies (specifically in research, curriculum and faculty development

programmes) that the University Grants Commission (UGC) identified the

RCWS as a centre of excellence during (the 9th Plan period) with the mandate of

providing the necessary leadership for the development of Women’s Studies.

The RCWS envisages its role as a catalyst of social change; the various

components of the programme, namely research, teaching, community development,

networking and dissemination are not sought as separate, but rather as inter-linked

components of a cohesive whole. Drawing from each other these various

components will enrich the entire programme and initiate a process of change. The

target group of these multi-pronged interventions is women at the grassroots,

activists, students of Women’s Studies and other disciplines, policy makers and

others.

♦ The Centre for Women’s Development Studies (CWDS), New Delhi

< www.cwds.org/>

It was established on 19th April 1980, in the middle of the International

Women’s Decade, by a group of men and women, who were involved in the

57
preparation of the first ever comprehensive government report on the ‘Status of

Women in India’ entitled ‘Towards Equality’ (Report of the Committee on the

Status of Women in India, (CSWI), Government of India) and who were later

associated with the Women’s Studies Programme of the Indian Council of Social

Science Research (ICSSR). The Advisory Committee on Women’s Studies of the

ICSSR recommended the need for an autonomous institute to build on the

knowledge already generated, but with a wider mandate and resources to expand its

activities in research and action. The recommendation was accepted by the ICSSR,

and communicated to the Women’s Bureau of the Ministry of Social Welfare,

Government of India.

A few months later, under the leadership of late Prof. J.P. Naik, the CWDS

was registered under the Societies’ Registration Act, 1860 in New Delhi and started

functioning since May 1980, with a small financial grant from the Vikram Sarabhai

Foundation, under the Chairpersonship of Dr. Phulrenu Guha and Dr. Vina

Mazumdar as the Director. In 1984-85, on the recommendation of a visiting

committee appointed by the Indian Council of Social Science Research, CWDS

began to receive an annual maintenance grant from the ICSSR and became

recognised as one of the Research Institutes supported by ICSSR. The Centre’s own

in- house journal Samya Shakti, began in the mid-1980’s,(later renamed as Indian

Journal of Gender Studies) initiated a debate on the role of Women’s Studies within

higher education. Women’s Studies M.Phil course is also conducted by the school.

58
 ♦ The Women’s Studies and Development Centre (WSDQ, University of Delhi

< http://wsdc.du.ac.in/>

Established in 1987 as a response to University Grants Commission's call to

address women's issues in higher education. The Centre was one of the first seven

Women’s Studies centres established by UGC. In the history of 35 years, the centre

has made long strides in the direction of Teaching, Research and Development. The

Centre is the focal point for women's and gender studies in the University. The

activities of WSDC place women and gender at the centre of its inquiry focusing

mostly on multidisciplinary perspectives of class, caste, race, ethnicity, sexuality,

religion, age. It also addresses several other contemporary socio-political issues

concerning women. Teaching and research has gradually become the prime focus of

the Centre.

The Centre offers short term courses on Women’s Studies for

undergraduates, graduates and post graduate: ‘Certificate Courses in Women’s

Studies’ is offered at colleges for under graduates. A course titled Gender and
)

Society for graduates and ‘Advanced Certificate Course in Gender Studies’ for post

graduates is run by WSDC.

Apart from these short term courses the centre undertakes many research

projects and other extension activities. It regularly offers University Grants

Commission's Refresher Course in Women’s Studies for teachers. The centre also

organizes gender sensitization programs, community action, lectures, workshops,

seminars and conferences regularly. WSDC has networks with different faculties

59
and colleges of Delhi University, Women’s Studies Centres across the country,

different foreign universities, United Nations and its constituent bodies, Government

bodies, voluntary organizations.

♦ The Department-cum-Centre for Women’s Studies and Development,

Punjab University

< http://cwsd.puchd.ac.in/>

The Department-cum-Centre for Women’s Studies and Development was

originally set up as a Centre for Women’s Studies and Development in 1987 with

Prof Pam Rajput as its Founding Director. It was one of the first seven centres set up

by the University Grants Commission in 1987. On the basis of its excellent

performance, it was one of the six Centres placed in Phase HI by the UGC. In the

year 2009, it has been upgraded to the status of a full-fledged Department of the

University and is now referred to as Department-cum-Centre for Women’s Studies

and Development.

The Department seeks both to interpret Women's experiences as well as to

change Women's condition, through a transformation of consciousness, social forms

and modes of action. It seeks to interrogate the entire system of socio-economic-

political and cultural subordination of women as well as influence, reshape and

recast dominant ideologies. It visualizes itself as a catalyst to transform an unjust,

inegalitarian society into one where gender justice and equality would be the norm.

It serves as a resource and nodal Centre for the region and true to its

mandate, has developed as a strong academic Centre of teaching and learning,

60
generating new thinking and knowledge on feminist theory and initiating courses in

Women’s Studies.

The Department-cum- Centre has taken a lead in the region in introducing

the formal degree programmes in Women’s Studies. The programmes continuing at

present are: M.A. in Women’s Studies and Ph.D. Programme in Women’s Studies

♦ Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Women’s Studies Centre, University of Pune

<http://www.unipune.ac.in/snc/womens_studies_centre/>

The Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Women’s Studies Centre established in

1987 in University of Pune, which is known for its commitment to excellence and

innovation.

Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule started the first school for girls in

1848 in this city. Savitribai Phule is the first woman teacher of modern India. Ever

since, whether it was the debate on education for women or widow remarriage,

Pune has occupied a central place. The Women’s Studies Centre, University of

Pune is known for its research in the following areas.

• Social History of 19th and early 20th Century Maharashtra from a

Gender Perspective.

• Feminist Theorization: Global and Local Issues

• Conceptual Issues in Gender, Caste and Culture

• Debates/Issues in Gender and Minority Communities in India

61
 • Engendering Mainstream Disciplines: Theoretical Perspectives and

Strategies

• The teaching Programmes of the Centre involves

The centre conducts various courses such as MA in Gender. Culture and

Development Studies, One year PG interdisciplinary diploma, PG certificate course,

and undergraduate interdisciplinary certificate courses in Women and Development

Studies.

♦ School of Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University

<http://www.jaduniv.edu.in/view_department.php7deptid-150>

Beginning its journey in January 1988 with Professor Jasodhara Bagchi as

founder-Director, the School was recognised by the UGC in February 1989. The

University Grants Commission recognised it as the Nodal Centre for Women’s

Studies in the Eastern Region during the IXth Plan period. The School remains the

most widely known within the region and also nationally.

In the 1980s and 90s the chief concern of the school was to integrate

women’s experiences, issue, problems and perspectives into other branches of

knowledge. The attempt was not only to add a women’s perspective but to transform

traditional disciplines through considerations of gender. The development of a

feminist perspective went hand in hand with attempts to empower women. The

School also aims at dispelling contrived barriers raised by traditional academic

disciplines experimenting with new forms of interdisciplinary.

62
 A major objective of the School has been to promote a dialogue between

academics and activists, social work and policy making. By facilitating research and

extension work, their aim is to enhance the visibility of women and gender issues

within the academic community of the University and indeed in wider society. They

have also worked towards creating a platform for sensitizing government agencies,

members of the academy and activists.

♦ Women’s Studies Research Centre, Calcutta University

<http: //www. caluniv. ac. in/academic/women. htm>

Established on April 1, 1989 with financial support from University Grants

Commission, Women Studies Research Centre at the University of Calcutta is an

interdisciplinary research unit. From the very beginning, WSRC is dedicated to the

cause of gender sensitization programmes as well as serious academic research. It is

also engaged in micro-level field studies, and generation of awareness programmes.

It has also made sincere attempts to include Women’s Studies as part of the

curricula.

The activities carried out at the Centre are multi-faceted. Besides being

involved in various fields of research on women, seminars and workshops are

conducted regularly on different topics, sometimes in collaboration with other

organizations. Research publications are an important aspect of WSRC. The centre

has also conducted lots of short tern certificate courses and also provide refresher

courses. WSRC has started M.Phil degree course from July 2005.

63
 ♦ Women’s Studies Centre, Mysore University

<http://www.uni-mysore.ac.in/centre-for-women-studies/>

Centre for Women’s Studies came into existence in the University of Mysore

during 1989. The Centre was started with the objective of promoting gender equity

through Research, Teaching, Training and Advocacy. The following are the specific

objectives

• To sensitize people to acknowledge and appreciate women’s roles in

society.

• To raise public awareness about gender discrimination and the unequal

status of women and men, by arranging workshops, seminars, conferences

and extension activities.

• To disseminate information regarding women’s participation in different

fields of life.

• To teach Women’s Studies as a discipline from Women’s perspective

• To develop a resource centre on women for the use of academicians,

activists and the public.

• To act as consultative and resource agency on women’s rights, gender

sensitization for governmental and nongovernmental organizations.

CWS Mysore is one of the few centres to introduce Post Graduate Diploma

in Women’s Studies and two years Post Graduation in Women’s Studies The Centre

64
has been instrumental in the incorporation of women component in the curriculum

of various disciplines like Sociology, Economics etc., in the University, and degree

colleges and has played a major role in introducing Women’s Studies as a discipline

in the Open University at Mysore. The Centre has developed wide contacts and

association with NGOs, Government departments, colleges and activist groups and

has been participating in various programmes for sharing and awareness-building. It

has conducted a number of gender sensitization and outreach programmes in both

the urban and rural areas.

♦ The Centre for Women’s Studies, Avinashilingam Deemed University

< http://www.cws-adu.org/>

This centre is sponsored by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi

and was initiated in August 2000. The Centre has carried out the work in the areas of

gender equity, economic and self reliance, education, women’s rights and awareness

activities. The Centre has evaluated various developmental projects and has

generated a wide array of resource materials for disseminating in the community. It

has multidisciplinary collaboration and a close network both within and outside the

University system.

Along with a number of short term courses the centre offers M.Phil and

Ph.D. in Women’s Studies from 2009 onwards, A choice based paper on Women and

Development is offered for the undergraduate students of the University.

65
 ♦ Women’s Studies & Research Centre, Banasthali University

<http://www.banasthali.org/banasthali/wcms/en/home/lower-menu/feculties/social-
science/sociology/womenstudycentre.html>

Women’s Studies and Research Centre was established under Xth Five Year

Plan at Banasthali University in July 2005. Teaching, Training, Research and

Extension/Out Reach activities are being undertaken under the Centre.

The major thrust area of research undertaken by the center so far are

reproductive health, gender budgeting, child marriage, women's sports etc. Centre

has been playing its incessant efforts to inculcate gender's perspective in almost all

activities undertaken by Banasthali University.

Academic programmes offered by the centre are: foundation course entitled

'Women in Indian Society' for all undergraduate students, one compulsory

interdisciplinary paper entitled Women’s Studies' for all social science students at

post graduate level, P.G. diploma in 'Women & Human Rights' and Master of Social

Work (MSW).

♦ Women’s Studies Centre ,P. G. Department of Home Science, Sardar

Patel University

<http://www.spuwn.edu/academics/academic_centres/women_study_centre/>

Women Studies Centre at Sardar Patel University was established in March

2005 and started functioning folly since August-September 2005. The identification

of priorities for Women’s Studies Centre at Sardar Patel University is based on the

fact that the university is a rural-based one established with the aim of uplifting the

educational level of the local population, neighbouring towns and interior villages.

66
 Proximity to urban settings such as Baroda and Ahmedabad has led to greater

exposure in a section of the local female population here while the other half

_ remains largely backward in all respects. In this background, the major aim and

objective of the centre is capacity building in women.

♦ Centre for Women’s Studies, School of Social Sciences, University of

Hyderabad

< http://www.uohyd.ac.in/index.php/academics/2011-10-27-18-38-44/centre-for-
womens-studies>

The Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS), at the University of Hyderabad, is

an interdisciplinary programme in the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and

Performing arts, Communication, Management and the Natural Sciences.

It is a standalone centre collaborating with different faculty and schools. The

University had a Women’s Studies Cell that has been operational since 1984, that

has now been upgraded to a Centre from June 2007 onwards. This was alternatively

located in the School of Social Sciences and the School of Humanities. The Centre

offers M.Phil and Ph.D. programme in Gender Studies.

3.32.1 Women’s Studies Centres in the Universities of North East India

■ Women’s Studies Research Centre (WSRC), Gauhati University

<http://www.gauhati.ac.in/page.php?cat=Centre&id=Womens%20Studies%20Resea

rch%20Centre>

In North East India Gauhati University pioneered in the establishment of

Women’s Studies Centres, with the establishment of Women’s Studies Research

67
Centre (WSRC) Gauhati University. The Women’s Studies Research Centre, Gauhati

University is a UGC sponsored Research Centre, established in 1989.

The major objectives of the centre are

• to create awareness on women’s issues

• to assess women’s contribution to the social processes

• to find out women’s own perception of their lives, the broader social

reality and their struggles and aspirations

• to assess roots and structures of inequality in the society and then-

struggles and aspirations.

The Centre has been recognised as the nodal Centre for the North East by

National Assessment and Accreditation Council, (NAAC), and also by the UGC for

carrying out the UGC scheme for Capacity Building of Women Managers for

Academic Leadership in Higher Education in the NE region.

The M. Phil, course in Women’s Studies has been started from 24th January,

2009 in Women’s Studies Research Centre, Gauhati University.

The course offers the specializations such as -Women and Media, Women

and Politics, Women and Education, Women and Literature, Women and Psychology

etc. The Library of WSRC is a specialized research resource centre for a

comprehensive collection of published and unpublished material on Women’s /

Gender Studies / Women’s issues. A complaint cell against Sexual Harassment at

68
workplace has been constituted by the University as a proactive measure against any

such incident. The cell functions under the aegis of the WSRC, G.U.

The department of Women’s Studies, Gauhati University was established in

the year 2009. MA and Ph.D. courses in Women’s Studies are run under the

department of Women’s Studies. It works in tandem with WSRC and the department

and the centre supplements each other’s work.

■ Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS), Dibrugarh University

< http://dibru.ac.in/page.php?cat=Centre&id=Womens%20Studies>

The next centre established in the North East Region is The Centre for

Women's Studies, Dibrugarh University .The Centre for Women’s Studies, Dibrugarh

University, is one of the U.G.C. approved Women’s Studies Centres in the country. It

is the second such Centre in the North East region. It was established in 1998 with a

UGC grant under the IX Plan and received UGC approval in November 2004. From

the beginning the centre has been engaged in research, training, documentation and

dissemination and extension work on issues relating to women and women’s

empowerment both among the academic community and also in the wider society.

In the session 2005-06 the centre has also started teaching activities by offering a

one-year part time Post-graduate Certificate Course on Women’s Studies

(PGCCWS). This is the first course of this kind in the region. The centre has also

introduced Ph.D. Programme on Women’s Studies from the Academic Session of

2009-2010. The Centre is housed in its own premises in the Research Complex,

Dibrugarh University .The Centre has a well stocked library and the library caters to

69
the students, researchers and teachers of Dibrugarh University and also provide

membership to the teachers and researchers of affiliated colleges. The centre has

also helped in the formation of and maintains links with Women’s Studies and

Development Cells (WSDC) in the colleges affiliated to Dibrugarh University.

■ Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS), Nagaland University

Centre for Women’s Studies in Nagaland University was established in the

year 2007. The centre has conducted a number of short-term courses in the areas of

Data Collection, Research Methodology on gender studies and also organizes

seminars, trainings and programmes on Gender Sensitization. Conducts computer

training for young girls and takes up collaborative research works in collaboration

with state sister organizations in the areas of women trafficking, role of women in

GDP etc. Currently the centre is in IInd stage of development and acts as facilitator

for research in areas relating to women and gender studies with special emphasis on

issues related to women in Nagaland.

■ Women’s Studies Centre (WSC), Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal

Pradesh

Women’s Studies Centre of Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh is an

UGC supported centre in North East India established in 2009. The centre has no

separate infrastructure and attached with the department of education. The centre is

in its first phase and still expecting proper financial support from UGC for

infrastructure and staff development.

70
 ■ Chandraprobha Saikiani Centre for Women’s Studies (CSCWS),

Tezpur University

< http://www.tezu.emet.in/wsc/frame.html>

Tezpur University has always been a conscious supporter of women’s right

and is gender sensitive. This is reflected in the involvement of a number of faculties

who have undergone training on empowerment and gender issues. The university

has conducted various programmes and training on women’s issues. To name a few,

capacity building programmes sponsored by the UGC. Some of the lady faculties

have been selected as trainers and master trainers for such programmes.

The University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi approved the

proposal no. F. 40-13/ (2005) (GA-1) (Vol. -II)/ 5069 dated 21.10.2009 for the

establishment of a Women’s Studies Centre (WSC) in Tezpur University.

The centre has recently been renamed as Changraprobha Saikiani Centre for

Women’s Studies which functions as a centre to coordinate and promote studies on

women belonging to the diverse socio-cultural milieu of a multicultural North East

India and the assimilation of women from marginalised tribal / non tribal and ethnic

groups trough outreach activities such as field study, advocacy, workshops to

enhance awareness and to train manpower to conduct research in women studies.

The centre aims at connecting, coordinating and constructing a community of

women who would significantly contribute towards meeting objectives of gender

sensitization and empowerment in this region.

71
 Women’s Studies Centre (WSC), Tripura University

<http://www.tripurauniv.in/mdex.php/notice/centre-for-womens-studies.html>

The Women’s Studies Centre, Tripura University is a UGC sponsored Centre

under Tripura University, established in 2011 dedicated exclusively to research and

advocacy on women's issues. The Women's Study Cell functioning under the

auspices of Tripura University since 2006, engaged in carrying out these activities is

now empowered to act as full-fledged research centre. The major objectives of the

centre are:

• To generate awareness about the role of women in society and

civilization as a whole

• To assess women's contribution to the social processes

• To find out women's own perception of their lives, the broader social

reality and their struggles and aspirations

• To assess roots and structures of inequality in the society and their

struggles and aspirations

Women’s Studies centres in the university system are very well engaged

with research and extension and information dissemination activities, through which

these centres are contributing towards the development of the Women’s Studies not

only as a academic discipline but also acts as agents for social awareness and

development.

72
3.33 Research on Women’s Studies in India

“History is His Story; Women need to write her story”

One of the major aspect of women’s question is the under representation of

women in the history of nation building and without knowing the history, future

generations of women should have to start from scratch to seek out their liberation.

Research in Women’s Studies programmes has ranged from critique and

reconstruction of theory to developing new frameworks for identification and

analysis of information both quantitative and qualitative. The WSCs need to

experiment with interdisciplinary research using a range of methodologies. Purely

academic as well as action research are encouraged by UGC. Collaborative research,

regionally/nationally, is promoted as this, would not only contribute to knowledge

building but also academically strengthen the WSCs in the process.

An overview of the achievements of Women’s Studies in India during the

last quarter of a century indicates that recovery and translations of lost writings by

women in different languages has been one of the most positive outcomes of this

movement. Women’s Studies scholarship has recovered texts dating back to the

ancient period, which provide extraordinary source material for not only litterateurs,

but for students of intellectual, cultural and regional history. In the last few decades,

several oral narratives of women in the peasant, tribal and dalit struggles have been

documented, giving new insights into the history of modem India.

“..Through these studies, the centres not only evolved more accurate ways of

measuring women’s contribution to society, but also legitimised what were

73
otherwise considered ‘non-formal’ sources of information like oral history, personal

narratives etc. Besides individual research, many of the centre also encouraged joint

and interdisciplinary one’s-different ways of doing research. All this was part of the

larger attempt to move women’s issues from periphery to the centre.” (Jain and

Rajput, 2003, p. 31)

The Women’s Studies movement has made some major breakthroughs in the

content of research as well as in the methodologies employed. Oral history and

personal narratives have come out as the major sources of information in Women’s

Studies and case studies has become major research outputs in the field.

In the inception phase, Women’s Studies was logically seen as a part of the

humanities and social sciences streams. However, it has moved beyond these limits -

to engage with science and technology with particular reference to reproductive

technologies, genetic sciences, agriculture, medicine and other disciplines.

University Grants Commission has identified some of the research areas for

Women’s Studies centres to take up research projects in such areas. Some of such

areas are:

> The invisibility, distortion and marginalisation of gender as a category of

analysis in mainstream disciplines and their canonization,

> Collaboration with Film Studies is expected to be beneficial for

Women’s Studies. India is the largest producer of films (in many

languages) in the world, which certainly have a social impact,

particularly on women’s lives. Mass Communication and Research on

74
 the expanding visual media have led to significant films documenting

women's history.

> Since the publication of the Report of the Committee on the Status of

Women in India (CSWI), the discipline of Demography became

integrally connected to the twin movements of Women and Women’s

Studies and debates on the declining sex ratio as evidence of

marginalization of the majority of women in Indian Society. The Indian

Census of 2001 revealed an internal shift in the sex-ratio trend. “Missing

Girls" replaced "Missing Women" - during the decade (1990s) dedicated

by the SAARC Summit to the Girl Child. This is an area that requires

urgent exploration, field action, action research, and other types of

research and advocacy efforts.

> The emergence of the International Conventions on Human Rights,

Women’s Rights and Child Rights has increased the importance of legal

studies for specialists as well as for general education. Women’s Studies

must promote interaction with these new legal aspects of social existence.

Some of other UGC suggested areas are:-

i) New Economic Policy and its impact on women.

ii) Women and the Political Process, with special focus on women in PRIs

iii) Science, technology and women; with special focus on women and

reproductive health.

75
 iv) Forms ofviolence both public and private against women and girl children.

v) Women headed households and women as major family earners.

vi) Migration and Displacement - internal and international.

vii) Women in the organized and unorganized labour force.

viii) Interlocking of gender, caste and ethnic inequalities

ix) Gendered character of caste and communal violence

x) Feminist theories in the Indian context and the critical reconstruction

of concepts of work, power, autonomy, patriarchy, class-caste,

sexuality, sex-work among several others.

xi) Gender and Cultural expressions: Oral, printed and audio-visual

forms

xii) Women's Rights within the new legal discourse of Human Rights.

{University Grants Commission, 2012)

Since Women’s Studies as a subject has developed its own unique research

methodology, These Women’s Studies centres regularly conduct different

workshops on Research Methodology on Women’s Studies to promote quality

research.

It is proposed by the UGC that the field action, research, documentation,

teaching and extension activities to be undertaken by the WSCs should build upon

each other to consolidate certain areas of specialisation. It is, therefore, suggested by

76
the UGC that, besides extension education, which is educational activity in outreach

work, other activities to be undertaken should be field action projects, advocacy or

policy development and research, the latter being frequently commissioned by

various agencies or Government, such as evaluation of programmes, special surveys,

all India co-ordinated projects, etc.

Research including field oriented project work is an important activity of

these centers. Researches should be based on solving problems of women relating to

their social, economic, education, health, psychological, political participation etc.

Some other thrust areas as recognised by UGC during its Tenth plan are as follows:

a. The new economic policy of liberalization, globalization, privatisation

and its impact.

b. National, global priority, thrust areas and various women issues and steps

for solution

c. Women in the Panchayati Raj /District/ Block system; problems,

limitations and role.

d. Women Health and child development

e. Domestic violence against women

f. Trafficking in women - national and international

g. Women’s writing and literature

h. Women empowerment

77
i. Infrastructure and facilities

j. Family and women

k. Indian Women (Nationally and Statewise)

• Survey on the present day status of women including literacy, state

policies for women, laws protecting women.

• Access to higher education and extension and continuing education.

• Roles, functions and image of women in present day media, national

dailies and TV.

• Freedom (age wise, level, economy), Women Rights, Human Rights,

Gender Rights.

• Major communities of women and strategies for action.

• Sexual harassment and preventive roles and Legal awareness and

strategies for action.

• Security and safety of Women.

• Heath care and precautions.

• Labor force (organized & unorganized sectors).

• Widows, old age women, girl child & social security.

l. Electronic Media for the promotion of Women’s Studies.

m. Courses in Women’s Studies needed with community development.

78
 n. Natural disaster, calamities/ flood /draught affected women and solution.

o. Misuses of functional autonomy by women and their possible demerits.

p. Participation of non-conventional and non-Govemment Agencies.

q. Role of Women’s Studies Centers in promotion of Health and Child

development followed by Community development.

UGC recommends that the objectives and goal of research should be to

support policies, planning and empowerment to women and to create better

strategies and need based planning for upliftment including gender equity,

consolidate infrastructure and facilities of research in various sectors concerned to

Women’s Studies and their issues.

In undertaking field action projects and action research projects, it may be

ensured that these projects lead to the development of new knowledge, or

demonstrate a new area of service, a new strategy or methodology of work. As

academic institutions, the focus of WSCs is not service but developing new

knowledge by undertaking such projects.

A critical aspect of Women’s Studies is the new information and analysis,

which generate new theories. Reports of conferences, seminars, meetings, issue-

based affirmative action and so forth, generate knowledge, which must be

documented as an important resource for designing policy and programmes for

women’s empowerment.

79
 There is still a great paucity of good books, readers and texts for teaching

Women’s Studies in India. In the absence of learning- teaching material, both in

English and Indian languages, the academic component of Women’s Studies has

been diluted. The following are suggested by UGC (2012) for promoting sharing of

teaching and research materials:

i) Preparation of text books, Readers/Reference Lists especially annotated

ones, which would be useful in teaching and research,

ii) Thematic compilation of published/ completed research for wider

circulation,

iii) Compilation of regional data bank of research on Women’s Studies in

each region.

iv) High quality teaching/ learning materials and dictionary/glossary of

terms in English and Indian regional languages.

v) State-wise directory of women in prominent positions.

Women’s Studies Centres are also to undertake

a. Documentation of oral narratives,

b. Translation of women's writings,

c. Documentation of campaigns of women’s and other democratic

movements,

d. Develop and provide database to strengthen struggles for gender equality.

80
 It is suggested that special budgetary provisions be made for the library and

documentation units of the Women’s Studies programmes with attention to building

up their requirement for capital equipment in the field of information technology.

The contributions, achievements with any breakthrough, areas of thrust,

research publications, collaborations, infrastructure and facilities, resources

generated, if any, by the centre should be reflected in the form of a manual. Though

most of the Women’s Studies Centres don’t publish manuals, but majority of them

published newsletters regularly reflecting the activities, programmes and future

course of action of the centres. This kind of publication would be an important

resource for those engaged in designing policies and programs for women’s

empowerment.

The network can promote among different centers to bring out materials on

specific themes through seminars, researches, case studies. Various activities,

actions and programs which are related to the above activities may be outlined as

follows:

i. Creation of new information based on facts and analysis to generate new

ideas, knowledge, theory jind concept etc.

ii. Resource generation through seminars, workshops, conferences, surveys,

and issue based action taken report, case studies so as to identify strength

and weaknesses, future models.

iii. Create and use of Resource Centres for dissemination and transmission

of knowledge.

81
 iv. The UGC schemes of Book writing and Higher Education Journal, as and

when revived, may also be capitalized for the purpose

v. Educational exhibition/ fare annual gatherings/ functions

vi. Awareness and environmental building/ Health Education program

vii. Human resources development and management program

viii. Publication / material development/ displays

ix. Staff achievements

x. Donations and Sponsorship

xi. Infrastructure and facilities

xii. Documentation

xiii. Advocacy and publicity

Documentation refers to a service which is related with the research

environment in the fields of the Natural and Physical sciences, the Humanities and

Social Sciences. The success of Documentation activity is determined by the degree

of intensity of the industrial and social environment. To increase the speed of

industrial and social growth, documentation and information activities do need

constant observation and planning.

3.34 Women’s Studies Documentation

After World War I, industries have come to depend more and more on

research. A new class of industrial specialists have emerged. The subject coverage of

82
periodicals have been extended rapidly to outside the conventional subjects. Services

of the micro thoughts expressed in the articles of periodicals have needed a special

technique. A few of the specialists in their respective subjects walked out from the

laboratories into the library and attempted to serve other specialists with nascent

micro thoughts. They were called Information Officers.

The planned research under social pressure has enormously increased the

quantity of research output. This downpour of new micro-thoughts and micro

documents creates by itself problems in storage, retrieval and service.

Modem age starts with research It is called the age of inquiry, discovery and

invention. Diligent and systematic investigation of available data on any subject for

discovery of theories and application has become the order of the day. The scope for

research has become very wide and the speed of enquiry has become very rapid.

Research has two aspects, viz extensive and intensive studies. In the course of

extensive study, research worker has to go through all available materials on the

topic chosen for research and has to collect the necessary data. After gathering the

data, the researcher does the intensive study. Here the researcher analyses the

collected material for the discovery of new theories, revises facts, draws conclusions

and invents new application.

The knowledge base of the women’s movement was also greatly enriched by

the many publications- books, reports and the grey literature (newsletters, pamphlets

and so on)-that were produced by the Women’s Studies centres. These were also

vastly different from traditional academic books, not only in content, but also in

83
form ,style and in the way they were collected and organised to spawn institutions,

such as documentation centres, reading rooms and open libraries.(Jain & Rajput,

2003, p 32).

Document and Documentation

A document is considered as a fundamental unit or building block of a library

and information is the fundamental unit of a document. Document is a frame that

holds up information. The document may exist in a number of physical forms or in

electronic form.

The delegated task of creating access for scholars to the topical contents of

documents, especially of parts within printed documents and without limitation to

particular collections, was redefined as documentation (Dutta & Das, 2005).

“Suzanne Briet pointed out that “a document is evidence in support of a

fact”. She elaborated a document as “any physical or symbolic sign, preserved or

recorded, intended to represent, to reconstruct, or to demonstrate a physical or

conceptual phenomenon” (Dutta & Das, 2005).

To understand the concept of document, Briet enumerates six objects and

asks if each is a document-

object Document
Star in sky No
Photo of star Yes
Stone in river No
Stone in museum Yes
Animal in wild No
Animal in zoo Yes

84
 This definition implies the permanent nature of information in the form of

documents. To be a document a piece of information must be organised and stored

for future reference.

Documentation is that portion of the bibliographic organisation that is

involved with the indirect communication of primary materials within and a many

group of specialists, to the end that they will receive in a manner as efficient as

possible , the data which they require for the effective execution of their work

(Shera ,1966, p 2).

The word "documentation" encompasses both records and documents.

Records are recorded information, regardless of the medium or characteristics, made

or received by an organization that is useful in the operation of the organization.

A document, on the other hand, is a term that denotes an organization’s written or

graphical procedures, policies or instructions.

The objective of documentation is to bring into use the nascent micro

subjects by the specialist readers pin-pointedly, exhaustively and expeditiously.

The meaning of documentation has been undergoing certain variations of

evolutionary nature, which is inherent in any new discipline. It involves all the

library practices involved from the stage when the new knowledge is created and

published, to the ultimate stage of dissemination of that new knowledge; and enjoins

specifically the locating of each document, of abstracting, classifying and indexing it

and retrieving it on demand. If the nascent thought is to be used effectively, some

ways must be found to retrieve individual items of information and of servicing the

85
same in original form or by any reproduction of it, and occasionally, if necessary, in

the language understood by the user. If it relates to the problem of bibliographic

organisation, it does not merely mean the building of bibliography of micro­

thoughts. It surpasses the traditional techniques of subject bibliography in that, it

means analysis of each document in depth and in finer details. It is pre-conditioned

by the actual possession of documents and their accessibility under its new

bibliographic organisation and is a continuous process in anticipation of demand,

rather than an activity relating to the preparation of adhoc lists of accessible and

inaccessible items, initiated after a request is received.

Dr. Ranganathan’s (1963) definition of documentation implies control over

the total production of micro-documents. In order to disseminate the information

about, and contained in micro-documents expeditiously to the specialists, some

auxiliary activities are included by him in documentation, intended for saving the

time of the specialists. These are -

a) Documentation Work

b) Documentation Service

c) Abstracting Work

d) Document Reproduction Service

e) Translation Service

Documentation Work

It is the work of preparing a documentation list. It is concerned with the

technique of collecting, cataloguing, classifying and abstracting both published and

unpublished literature.

86
 Documentation work consists of the following processes -

I. Locating the documents from various published and unpublished sources

by conducting through literature search

n. Abstracting the documents, specially the current scientific literature.

in. Classifying the documents and the abstracts in a convenient way.

documents. After classifying, a serial number is generally given with the

document or abstract.)

IV. Indexing of documents is very important. Subject index cards should be

prepared bearing the classification number of the abstract or document in

citations of author, title, name of journal with volume number and

relevant page numbers of the journal.

V. Finally, recording is done. The result of documentation work should be

brought out in a documentation list in dictionary or classified form with

alphabetical indexes.

Documentation Service

It is the process of reproducing any available material and making it

available to others. It consist of the following processes -

I. Consulting the indexes for the entries of the document in order to bring

to the knowledge of the reader the available information.

II. Supplying him with the documents available in the library.

HI. Procuring the document from other libraries by inter-library loan for the

use of readers.

87
 IV. Reproducing the documents, if necessary, in the form of micro-films,

micro-cards, micro-fiche, micro-opaque, Photostats etc. and providing

the copies to the specialist readers on demand.

V. Providing technical translation service in the language understood by the

reader from any other foreign languages.

Abstracting Work

An abstract is a brief statement of the essential content of the original or

indication of the characteristics of the original. Its purpose is to draw attention to the

information contained in the original and provide a sufficient basis for the reader to

judge whether or not he wants to consult the original.

Document Reproduction Service (Reprography)

Reprography signifies all the various activities and techniques associated

with the facsimile reproduction of documents. Micro-film, micro-print, Photostat,

reflex copy, xerography, thermo fax, diazo, offset and all other varieties of processes

used for making copies of documents constitute reprography.

Translation Service

Translation service is one of the facets of documentation, which plays a very

important role in dissemination and application of information and knowledge.

Today, literature is publishing in various forms, various subjects and various

languages. Due to language barrier, communication between scientists and

technologists is very difficult, and thus frill utilisation of the recorded knowledge in

various documents is quite impossible. The knowledge barrier can only be overcome

88
by making expeditious translation of scientific and technical papers, from its

language of exposition to any other desired language. .

Since 1945, an altogether different factor has been accelerating interest in

documentation. That is population pressure and nature and rate of production of

printed documents for use. All this lead to:

i. Intensification of Research, and Conservation of Research potential of

the humanity as a whole without its dissipation by unwanted repetition in

research, has been demanding intensification of documentation.

ii. Change of Concept in management.

The effective use of human, material, machine and financial resources

becomes the guiding principle of management. It is implied that for the purpose of

decision making, possession of all relevant data -the thought, resources on all

aspects of the problem on hands is of vital importance. In order to arm the

management with the right information at the right time so that they may properly

plan, coordinate, control and motivate to produce the goods and services,

documentation becomes an essential factor in scientific management.

Different types of documentation services may be required to meet the

different demands of specialist/readers. It may include:

a. Serving with frequently published advanced documentation lists for

current awareness,

b. Preparing abstracts on demand or in anticipation,

89
 c. Preparing trend reports or ‘state of the art report’ in a subject,

d. Preparing digests,

e. Preparing news digest/ news briefings,

f. Adhoc collection of documents /bibliographical services, and

g. Pre-publication information.

Documentation on Women’s Studies: Indian Scenario

There are a good number of Women’s organizations working in

nongovernmental sector, which are very well engaged in documenting the activities

and the experiences in the field of activities of the respective organization. Some of

such centres from India are discussed in the chapter-4. As an effort towards

documenting the activities of the centres almost all the Women’s Studies centres

publish newsletters periodically. Books pamphlets and special papers are published

on the basis of studies done by these organisations on different aspects of women’s

life. Some publishing houses like Kali for Women, STREE and Women’s Unlimited

are totally devoted towards women publications. All these organizations efforts

result in the development of documentation of Women’s Studies literature in India.

Activities of some such organizations are discussed below:

Aalochana < www.aalochana.net> is a Pune-based documentation and

research centre for women. The aim of the centre is to systematically contribute to

the process of documentation, research, and dissemination with special emphasis on

Maharashtra. Hence the name Aalochana, means critical review in Marathi. Over the

years, Aalochana has become one of the significant resource and training centres,

with a lot of outreach programs in the western region of India.

90
 Aalochana’s bilingual resource centre makes available a variety of local,
-\

national, and international resources on women. Samvadini is Aalochana’s mobile

resource centre that works with NGOs and CBOs in Pune district to create

awareness about women’s rights. Muskaan, an Aalochana initiative against child

sexual abuse, has been working since 2000 to create awareness, and provide

counseling and support to children and their families.

Aalochana has publications in the form of books, newsletters, training

manuals, posters, booklets and also a good number of documentary films are made

by Aalochana reflecting status of women in panchayats, participation of women in

politics, story of women leaders etc.

p?w0c/ia«a,<www.viinochana.in> meaning liberation, was initiated in 1979

by women and men from within the Centre for Informal Development Studies

(CIEDS) collective that had come together in 1975 to seek a just, humane and

creative society rooted in transformative politics. Vimochana grew out of the need

for a public forum that would stand for organised resistance to the increasing

violence on women and would be assertive in challenging the pervading apathy to

the problems of women in the context of larger structures of violence and power.

Vimochana’s areas of activities cover-

• Reaching out to women in distress through offering emotional and legal

support, direct intervention, facilitating negotiated settlements and providing

shelter.

91
 • Focused public campaigns on specific issues like dowry harassment and

deaths, sex selective abortions, violence against women in prostitution, sexual

harassment at work place etc.

• Providing resource and conducting gender training programmes for various

educational and research institutions, police and other government

functionaries as also other activists groups, apart from facilitating processes

of reflections and critical thinking for volunteers and internees from different

parts of the state, country and world.

Documenting evidences and all relevant information available through

personal investigations and interviews with the victims, of any kind of violence

against women or their family members; and documentation based on the collection

of data, analysis of the underlying trends and patterns of violence in the present

context, etc are some of the activities of Vimochana. These documentations are then

used towards making documentary films and bringing out publications.

Streelekha <http://www.spinifexpress.com.au/fasiapub/india/streelekha.htm> is a

feminist bookstore based in Bangalore, South India. It is a sister concern of

Vimochana, an activist organisation based in the same city. The women at

Vimochana and Streelekha have been working in and around Karnataka for the last

17 years, mostly to protest and defend the rights of women wherever and whenever

they have been violated. They have reached out to women who are victimised for

dowry and either killed, driven to suicide or are forced to leave violent home

92
situations, women who are victims of rape, sexual harassment, wife beating, of

bigamous husbands or desertion etc.

Their website (www.vimochana.in) offers a varied collection of inspiring

material that can be downloaded or optionally ordered online by sending an email.

The Collections include print publications from Streelekha, and various women’s

rights related high resolutions print posters and also relevant DVD material.

CHEINA<chetnamdia.. org/> meaning “awareness” in several Indian

languages and an acronym for Centre for Health Education, Training and Nutrition

Awareness, is a non-government support organisation based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Established in 1980, CHETNA addresses issues of women’s health and development

in different stages of their lives from a “Rights” perspective. CHETNA is an activity

of the Nehru Foundation for Development, which is a public charitable trust,

registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950.

CHETNA supports Government and Non-Government organizations (GO

and NGO) through building the management capacities of educationists /health

practitioners/supervisors/ managers enabling them to implement their programmes

related to children, young people and women from a holistic and gender perspective

and advocate for people centred policies.

Identified as a Regional Resource Centre (RRC) for Gujarat state and the

union territories of Daman, Diu and Dadra Nagar Haveli to provide technical

assistance to NGOs to improve Reproductive and Child Health (RCH), facilitate

93
GO-NGO partnership, document and disseminate successful approaches and provide

inputs to government of India to ensure effective implementation of policies.

CHETNA’s Information and Documentation Centre was established in the

year 1993 to address the information needs of individuals, government

organizations, Non-government organizations, academicians and students working

on health and development concerns of women, young people and children. Today

CHETNA's main efforts are aimed at documenting the lives of women and children

in India and health issues. The collection contains a special section of training

manuals, information kits and modules. In English, Hindi, Gujarati Languages.

NIPCCD (National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development)

< http://nipccd.nic.in/resources_firame.htm> has a Documentation Centre for Women

and Children (DCWC), which was set up in 1989. DCWC is a specialised

information centre on children, women and other vulnerable groups. The

information in DCWC is collected and disseminated both at national and

international levels.

DCWC has a collection of over 24,000 books in English and Hindi, and

22,000 unpublished documents. It subscribes to 26 newspapers, 73 journals and 44

magazines. Of the 73 journals, 13 are international and 60 are national. It also

receives around 100 newsletters every year.

Its functions cover-

• Collection of research and evaluation studies on women and children

94
 • Identification of information sources

• Collection, classification, storage, retrieval and dissemination of

information

• Creation of a database of bibliographic references of documents

• Creation of a database of voluntary and other organisations

• Creation of a database of resource persons

• Creation of a database of statistics on women

• Networking with academic and professional institutions

• Creating awareness and publicity about information resources in DCWC

The areas on which information is collected are statistics, policy documents

related to children, women, youth and social issues, health - reproductive and child

health, nutrition, human development - psychosocial development, education -

preschool education, recreation, social welfare, including welfare of children,

women, youth and family, child abuse and neglect (deprived child, juveniles, child

labour, children of prisoners, terrorist violence, victims of trafficking, children in

difficult circumstances, street children, etc.), differently abled persons, scheduled

castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes, and minorities, ICDS, rural

development, social legislation, social security, funding for social programmes,

communication, management and environment protection.

DCWC provides reference service, photocopying services, support services

like supplying research reports and bibliographies, compilations of information,

95
Internet searches, inter library loan facility and networks with DELNET for

information sharing.

DCWC regularly publishes - DCWC Newsclips (monthly), DCWC Research

Bulletin (quarterly), DCWC New Additions (quarterly) and DCWC Contents Update

(quarterly).

From a concern for dissemination of information and documentation of

Women’s Studies material, the RCWS, SNDT University at the very outset started an

information cell. This was developed into a full-fledged library and documentation

wing in 1982 with the idea of making available to scholars research reports, seminar

and conference papers, newspaper clippings, and unpublished material not easily

available elsewhere. Abstracts and reproduction of important historical documents

have also been maintained.

The Document section is a valuable collection of:

• Policy papers of Indian Government, both national and state.

• U. N. and related agencies reports.

• International declarations.

• Programmes for women’s development of several countries.

• Special reports of UNICEF, FAO, ILO, INSTRAW, APDC. ESCAP on

women’s organizations, women and development issues.

• Texts of all Acts passed in India with respect to women since

independence.

96
 • Texts of laws applicable to women such as various labour laws since 1920.

Besides these, there are bound copies of more than 2000 papers presented at

national and international seminars and conferences.

The most frequented resource is the news clippings on a wide range of issues

pertaining to women collected from periodicals and major newspapers in India.

The Documentation Centre offers a treasure house of information on the

genesis of the women’s movement. It has regular collection of newsletters,

brochures on women’s organizations, reports of action research and annual reports,

bibliography of articles on women from Marathi periodicals of the 19th and 20th

centuries. Also offers bibliography assistance to scholars on request. The Centre has

initiated the compilation of various internet resources of Women’s Studies from the

web, on a wide range of topics, and with a special focus on women's role in the

economy and women's employment.

3.4 Women’s Studies: the present trend

The multiplication of women's organizations, the growing number of

conferences, seminars, and' workshops devoted to Women’s Studies, and the

networks that have emerged over the last decade and a half displays dynamism and

an activist orientation. Whether they can sustain the strength of the movement and

deepen its sociopolitical impact will depend to a great extent on their capacity to

draw strength and sustenance from an expanding base of women at the grass roots.

97
 The pedagogic aspect of Women’s Studies was totally absent in its initial

phase of conceptualizing. After a number of seminars, workshops and discussions in

the field, Women’s Studies family has able to design a curricula to meet the needs of

Women’s Studies scholars and now a good number of universities are running

different courses on Women’s Studies at various levels starting from short term

certificate courses, diploma courses leading to M-Phil and Ph.D. degrees.

Women’s Studies Centres are under the pressure of functioning in a project

mode and the human and physical resources available with the Women’s Studies

Centres are not able to successfully accomplish multiple responsibilities rests upon

these Women’s Studies Centres. Number of Women’s Studies Centres, Networks and

publications are significantly increasing in the last decade and still Women’s Studies

scholarship have to contribute a lot to the development and for the recognition of the

discipline in the expanding society.

With the entrance of Women’s Studies in the University system, the scholars

have to face dual responsibilities, which, is very critical to perform as they are

expected to produce high quality research and at the same time they are expected to

bring change in the society through various conscious raising activities and

extension services. The task becomes more difficult with the scarcity or non

availability of funds that these centres have to face and also they have to fight

against the conservative forces of the society.

98