To help working women in urban and semi-urban centres find affordable and safe accommodation, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has ordered universities to allocate land/built up space within their campuses for establishing Sakhi Niwas or working women’s hostels.
Impact of STEM education
“India’s progress in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education sees a commendable 43% representation of women graduates,” said the UGC document, point to a spike in women’s presence in the labour force. “One of the key factors prompting women and girls from rural areas to relocate to tier-1 and metro cities is availability of better educational and employment opportunities there. There is a need for safe and affordable accommodation for them,” it added.
