Gender inequality in India's higher education sector Payal Kumar | Updated on
While the glass ceiling for women is difficult to shatter in the corporate sector, it’s even worse in the higher education in India. Less than 7 per cent of Vice-Chancellors in India are women. As diversity and inclusion become well-entrenched ideas in the global workspace, what can our higher education institutes (HEIs) do to catch-up on policies to ensure gender equity? As per the most recent Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021, 20 per cent of the top 200 higher education institutions the world over are led by women – that is 41 of the top 200 institutions. In contrast, the statistics on women leadership in India paints a dismal picture. While many make it to mid-ranking posts such as Deans, Heads of Departments and Controller of Examination, fewer than 7 per cent of Vice Chancellors in India are women. And that too about half of these have been relegated to women-only universities, where it is mandated that the post of Vice-Chancellor is to be held by a woman only.