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Being in a women’s college was once a decision made on the basis of cut-offs and convenience, however, it ended up being a transforming life experience.
One of the greatest gifts I stumbled upon in life, was the opportunity to study in a women’s only institution. At the risk of being stereotyped as an angry misandrist, I would say that merely experiencing a space that is free from men is important. Women’s colleges, especially in the University of Delhi (DU), are starkly different from their coeducational counterparts. Women’s only colleges are fundamentally non-political and more academically driven spaces, with fewer opportunities to channel youthful angst. However, the mere existence of women’s colleges gives us the opportunity to step away from what can almost always be the inescapable presence of men. This is not to say that we are running from them, it is to emphasise that the heteronormative spaces that accommodate both the genders can often be stifling because of the overpowering presence of men.
Without the active presence of men, all roles including the roles of a goon, the angry ambitious student politician, the bully, the guide, the mentor are all taken up by women. Women in co-educational set-ups are usually allocated dainty little spaces with cookie cutter edges, all the while carrying the Sisyphean burden of being wise, compassionate, and forgiving. The luxury of failing, losing one’s calm, being selfish, is exclusively reserved for men. The emotional toll of merely existing as a woman is no secret. Being the bigger person in a conflict, staying out of conflict or controversy, or being the peacemaker, is draining to those of us who are not peacemakers at heart.
This does not imply that the patriarchy does not seep into women’s colleges. Indecent curfew timings, the kind that assumes women are delicate flowers in need of protection, are controlling and unquestioned. Women’s colleges and the problem of how to accommodate transgender students within their ambit is a question that remains unanswered. The varsity is now operating on two extremes, on one end are girls colleges: apolitical and academic, the ones that win it laurels. On the other end of the spectrum, are co-educational colleges: angsty and troublesome, inciting chaos. It is almost as though the varsity is a parental figure and girls colleges are demure daughters, while co-educational colleges are trouble-stirring sons.
I do not imply that men are toxic, and do not claim to be victimised by their mere presence either. But the set-up of a women’s only college is not normal, it is not representative of the real structure of society. Therefore, the gender roles that are well-established in society, to the point that we do not even question them, do not accompany us inside the walls of these institutions. Instead, realisation about the extent and impact of the patriarchy,
can sometimes be felt by moving into segregated spaces, since the alternative offers us no respite from the status quo.
Being in a space exclusively reserved for women has been revolutionary because it has helped me grasp the extent to which the patriarchy influences us, it has helped me understand and un-learn problematic behaviour that Is internalised. Gloria Steinem said, “The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.” A women’s college has helped me un-learn that only men lift heavy desks across corridors. From physically scaling walls to tie up election banners to manually guarding barricades on the celebrity performance during the college fest, I’ve seen women do it all. It isn’t merely limited to the physically challenging aspect of it. Emotionally, it has been a liberating experience that has allowed me to enjoy female friendship and finally understand, that it is irreplaceable and most relevant in order to understand and experience the beauty of
being a woman.
To know and bask in the presence of women who are smarter, kinder, more resilient, and compassionate than me has been an opportunity of a
lifetime. “Unlearning” what the patriarchy has conditioned me to believe would be a lifelong journey, but I am glad I got a head-start in my
alma mater, surrounded by women who inspired me for a lifetime.
Feature Image Credits: Kartik Kakar for DU Beat
Kinjal Pandey

Gargi, Daulat Ram, Kamala Nehru, Lady Shri Ram, and other girls’ colleges are not just institutions of higher education for women – they are symbols of resilience and strength; they are icons of feminism. 

The role of women’s colleges is to provide a space for women to learn and grow. These safe spaces help us tap into our hidden potential, which had earlier been buried by the heteronormative gender norms present all around us. Women are acutely aware of the baggage that comes with being women. The amount of scrutiny and censure that we go through across our lives is shocking. We are so accustomed, so numb to this omnipresent censorship, that we come to know of its existence only when it has been lifted. When college life began and I came to experience the freedom that came with being in a girls’ college, then and only then did I realise exactly how much I had been stifled by the outside world. Everything from our appearance and clothing, our language and behaviour, our social habits and ways of life, invite intrigue. We are ever so conscious of every aspect of our being and existence simply because we know we are constantly judged for it. Gargi College, Maitreyi College, Daulat Ram College, Miranda House, and every other women’s college out there in Delhi University and across the rest of the country does not just represent a place where women pursue higher education; these colleges act as symbols of strength, attesting to the resilience of women.

When students protested last year in my college, I saw women beating huge drums, chanting slogans and sitting in the sun for hours, without their spirit breaking because they were fighting for a greater cause. I learnt from professors who introduced me to feminist literature and to capitalism’s role in the subjugation of women, who made me write lengthy papers on how women had been relegated to a minor role for centuries. These conversations happen in co-educational institutions of higher education and I am more than certain that most of them do an excellent job talking about the aforementioned issues. But anyone who has set foot in a girls’ college knows that the walls of these colleges hum with the words Gloria Steinem and Mahasweta Devi. Conversation about feminism and gender roles is not limited to the classroom. Society practices, canteen breaks, and casual conversation revolve around topics that are not discussed enough in mainstream media and popular culture.

Another gift that a girls’ college education gave me was the gift of real life idols and heroines. My professors with their deep sense of idealism and duty turned out to be the most admirable of people who command immense respect. There were occasions when I all but wanted to climb on top of my desk and shout “O Captain! My Captain!” because of how fierce these lectures were. College presidents, seniors, classmates all turned into real life idols who constantly served as examples of women who win. Life was one giant Pinterest board coming to life, with both interesting outfit ideas and life-changing quotes being available at the same time.

I have begun to slowly shed the decadent remains of oppressive societal norms and expectations. The environment of a girls’ college was so “woke” and aware that it changed who I was. It told me that my opinion was relevant, that I must not let small things slide by, that every jibe or sexist joke that I ignore and do not call out contributed to a larger cycle of sexism and misogyny. A greater sense of self-esteem and pride came with learning in such a positive environment. As I carried heavy desks or climbed ladders to put up hoardings and banners – tasks which I hadn’t done before because they were traditionally physically challenging tasks automatically assigned to men – I realised how gender norms had limited and caged my potential. The realisation of my physical strength is merely a metaphor for every lesson that I learnt while being in a girls’ college. The idea of certain jobs being done by men and others by women is so deeply ingrained in our culture that we don’t really question it or realise how problematic it is. Recognising gender roles and actively fighting them was another life lesson that college taught me.

But it’s not all fair and sunny in the land of girls’ colleges. These colleges are often targets of various jokes being circulated on DU-related unofficial social media pages. Girls’ colleges are portrayed as gloomy places where the greatest concern that the student body has is the absence of men. Not only do such jokes undermine what these institutions stand for but also try to distill and limit the essence of our college life to the lack of interaction with members of the opposite gender. Ergo, men continue to influence and largely dictate the narrative surrounding our colleges even when they are not part of them. Not only that, recently, certain Facebook pages sharing DU-related content have been circulating problematic posts regarding girls’ colleges. These posts at best reiterate pre-existing negative stereotypes about girls’ colleges and at worst express outright violence, ridicule, and hate. This shows how our colleges are now under the same kind of scrutiny and judgment that we once were. It also tells us that the battle is far from won.

The respite gained by entering these institutions is temporary. The walls of these safe spaces shall not be home to us forever; life will once again go back to being what it once was when we graduate. The fight for gender equality will not be won by creating safe spaces for women in every street and corner. On the contrary, by reclaiming what is ours – the streets and public spaces and parks and libraries and markets – then and only then will we be able to truly live the way we want to. When co-educational colleges start talking about gender as frequently as people in girls’ colleges do, when these discussions do not just involve and concern women, then and only then will we truly be able to live in a free, liberated environment. Then we would not need safe havens from the outside world and the need and idea of educating people on the distinction of gender will die out. Perhaps then, girls’ colleges will lose their relevance, but they would fade out with glory, their contribution to the cause of feminism and in the fight for equality being fundamental.

 

Feature Image Credits: Debating Society of Daulat Ram College

Kinjal Pandey
[email protected]

Let’s attempt to comprehend this age-old debate of co-ed college versus girls’ college.

Some of best colleges in the University of Delhi are all-girls colleges. These colleges not only have the best faculty, infrastructure, and societies but also harbour the charm of sisterhood that is established on the strong foundation of feminism. When you are in a girls’ college, chances are you won’t have to worry about the daily struggle of putting together an outfit. Dress up or not, in an all-girls’ college you don’t really feel any less or more because of either. There is a larger sense of freedom where one can live without a bra. In co-ed colleges, however, the inevitable pressure of being judged by the opposite sex looms large.

In a university space, one thrives by learning from discussions that take place in canteens as well as in classrooms. Being in a co-ed setup means getting varied perspectives on all socio-political issues which eventually enriches one’s understanding. However, some topics may spark discomfort for students who come from conservative backgrounds and are not comfortable in discussing certain topics in front of the opposite sex. Chitra Dabral, a student of Lady Irwin College, says, “In an all girls’ class when we are taught about “taboos” such as sex, there’s nothing I feel shy about asking. Besides, my teachers also respond candidly. I wouldn’t have felt such ease with male peers.”

Being part of a co-ed college means interaction between the two sexes which resolves social awkwardness, something that many believe students from girls colleges suffer from. Nayla Kaur, a student at Mata Sundri College, resonates that, “Some of my classmates feel inhibited in male company.” Ishita Sharma from Indraprastha College for Women disagrees. She says, matter-of-factly, “Dealing with boys depends on your personality. So according to me these two things – being in an all girls’ college and being awkward with boys – are not interconnected.”

In our society when gender roles are still starkly segregated, being in an all-girls’ college means one will have to handle all situations, right from designing rangolis to moving heavy desks.

Finally, dating is one aspect where co-ed colleges are believed to score over all-girls’ institutions. If you are straight, then chances of meeting your soulmate are higher in co-ed colleges. However, as one can observe, a significant chunk of the population at girls’ colleges also date, because the fluid movement (thanks to fests, events, and multiple competitions) in DU amongst students fuels dating across colleges.

As we can establish, there are pros and cons on both sides.  At the end, whichever college you choose to go to, your life will certainly be adventurous because Delhi University is the place to be.

Feature Image credits: www.mirandahouse.ac.in

Niharika Dabral

[email protected]