Telangana has become the first State to introduce compulsory gender education at the graduate level; without repeating gender stereotypes in its bilingual textbook titled, ‘Towards a World of Equals.’ The book introduced on a pilot basis in engineering colleges affiliated to the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU-Hyderabad) discusses gender in its composite form without limiting itself to crime against women. It also touches upon complex subjects like female-centric history and male-female relationships.
Structured in simple language and form to suit under-graduates, the book discusses different strands of women’s movements across the world, introducing students to political movements of Afro-American, Caribbean, African, Dalit and minority women.
The book is being taught over 14 weeks in a semester at the rate of two classes per week. Credits earned in the end semester examination add up to students’ GPAs. A nine-member, all-women, panel which drafted the syllabus and developed its content has already held four training workshops for groups of 15 to 40 teachers.
Telangana
- Capital : Hyderabad
- Chief Minister : K Chandrashekar Rao
- Governor : E.S.L. Narasimhan