The former lieutenant governor of Puducherry, Dr Kiran Bedi attended the 1st National Women Vice Chancellors Conference hosted by IILM University, Gurugram. She stated that Vice Chancellors ate the biggest administrators with the power to bring about a revolutionary change in society.
Dr Kiran Bedi addressed the event by mentioning about the significant increase in the participation of girls and Women in the academic field over time, but there is still a "pipeline leakage" that Women are underrepresented in positions such as principal, head of department, and other administrative ranks.
Dr Sujata Shahi, Vice Chancellor of IILM University spoke about the importance of female vice chancellors in higher education. They can influence policies, promote inclusivity and change the system of status quo by becoming the agents of transformation.
Dr Kiran urged the current female vice chancellors to implement work-life management and gender perception courses as a part of their curriculum for the female students as many of them quit their studies and Jobs after marriage.
The women's vice-chancellors should also focus on an important factor of women's health and wellness in their universities as this is also a major reason that prevents women from progressing in their respective fields.
Dr. Kiran also stated that the vice-chancellors serve as the engine that will help India achieve its goal of becoming the third-largest economy by 2047. She said that universities are the center of research and development where character development is also important.
