Soon, TN govt colleges to get monitoring committee on gender psychology

CHENNAI: To develop more effective interventions and promote gender equality, the Higher Education Department has decided to form a monitoring and awareness committee on gender psychology in all government engineering, arts, science and polytechnic colleges.

A senior official from the department said that the committee would identify how gender affects individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in higher education institutions.

“It exposes the disparities in enrolment in colleges, academic performance, and career choices, highlighting the impact of gendered expectations and societal biases,” he added.

There 165 Arts and Science colleges, 11 engineering colleges and 54 polytechnic colleges run by the government across Tamil Nadu. “However, there is a lack of awareness with regard to gender psychology among students. Therefore, a committee comprising faculty members, educationists and an expert on gender psychology will be formed to create awareness.”

K Sankaran, a senior student counsellor in the city, said socialisation of both boys and girls begins in schools. “It’s a good initiative, as it’s important to initiate change processes at a young age to shape the right attitudes and transform behaviours. This measure will make the young boys and girls in colleges more gender-sensitive, and also create positive and effective social norms that all genders must know in the current environment.”

He urged the proposed committee to organise workshops, seminars and meetings regularly in their respective institutions to guide young minds.