'Ardh gurukuls' should be encouraged: Former Mumbai varsity VC Dr Snehalata Deshmukh

THANE: Former Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University Dr Snehalata Deshmukh here today said that the idea of having 'Ardha Gurukul' in the country will immensely help women to excel in their respective works and career.

Inaugurating the two-day national conference on 'Women's Quest for Equality in India- Promises, Problems and Prospects' here, Deshmukh said the concept of 'Ardh gurukul' (like day boarding schools) which lets children in the school from morning to evening provides ample time for mothers to work carefree.

Deshmukh said during her tenure as VC of Mumbai University she tried to push idea of 'ardh gurukul' but it could not be implemented on a large scale.

"There are only five 'ardh gurukuls' in Maharashtra. I think space constraint issue and lack of will might be reasons hindering it to expand," she said.

Deshmukh also raised the issue of men-women equality and emphasised that equality should be come in all aspects of life.

"In India, there is nearly 75 per cent cases of Tubectomy (female sterilisation) is registered as against only 25 per cent cases of Vasectomy (male sterilisation). But it should be a reversed case and more males should under the process instead women," she said.

In the two-day conference, around 50 papers related to various women issues would be presented.