In celebration of International Women’s Day, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has introduced a new scholarship initiative tailored for female students enrolled in BBA, BCA and BMS programmes. This initiative aims to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment within India’s technical and management education sector, as outlined in their official announcement.
A financial aid totaling Rs 7.5 crore will be extended annually to benefit 3000 female students, as disclosed by AICTE. Professor T.G. Sitharam, the Chairman of AICTE, unveiled the scheme in the presence of Rohini Bhajibhakare, Private Secretary, during the International Women’s Day celebration at AICTE.
Under this programme, AICTE aims to award 3000 scholarships each year to economically disadvantaged female students enrolled in AICTE-approved institutions. The scholarship grant, amounting to Rs 25000 per student annually, will be disbursed for three years. AICTE is committed to allocating Rs 7.5 crore annually to provide essential financial support to female students pursuing BBA, BCA, and BMS courses exclusively in AICTE-approved institutions.
“AICTE takes measures to empower women and unlock their full potential in technical and management education. For girl students in engineering, we have a PRAGATI scheme. Since, BBA, BCA and BMS undergraduate management courses have come under the AICTE umbrella from this year onwards, we decided to announce a special scheme for girl students of UG management to promote gender equality, provide affordable education and empower girls in management education as well,” T.G. Sitharam, chairman, AICTE, said.
T.G. Sitharam further said that at AICTE, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where women not only thrive but also lead the charge in shaping the future of engineering and management.
“In recent years, we saw a significant increase in women enrollment in AICTE approved institutions. In 2022-23, 39% of women enrolled themselves in AICTE-approved courses as compared to 36% in 2021-22 and 30% in 2020-21. The percentage of women enrolled in engineering diplomas and UG has also witnessed a significant increase. In 2022-23, 29% women enrolled in engineering diplomas and 44% got enrolled in UG Engineering courses. The women’s enrollment in UG engineering was 29% in 2019-20 which increased to 31% and 40% in the two consecutive years. The increasing percentage of women enrollment over the years underscores the growing recognition of women’s capabilities and the need for diversity in the engineering and management workforce,” quoted chairman.
“On this International Women’s Day, AICTE reaffirms its commitment to empowering women in engineering and technology through its new and reformative initiatives. Encouraging and supporting women in engineering and management is not only the right thing to do but also essential for India’s progress and prosperity for Viksit Bharat by 2047,” added the release.
With inputs from ANI.