Panel discussion on theme

Chandigarh, March 13, 2025: Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh today hosted a panel discussion on the theme "Women in Contemporary Times: Opportunities and Challenges" in the University Law Auditorium to celebrate the International Women's Day. 

PU DUI, Prof. Rumina Sethi; BPS Women University, Khanpur, (Haryana) Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sudhesh Kumari; Prof. Madhurima Verma, (Sociology CDOE); and Prof. Prof. Anupama, Department of Economics, Punjabi University, Patiala graced the prestigious event, which was organised collaboratively by the Department of Education, English and Cultural Studies, History, Art, History and Visual Arts, and Ancient Indian History, Culture, and Archaeology to explore the multifaceted challenges and opportunities that women encounter today.

Prof. Rumina Sethi as chair provided thoughtful comments, including an analysis of gender bias in school textbooks. She cited examples from an NCERT Hindi textbook and historical trends of gendered curricula, highlighting the concept of "toxic masculinity" and its historical roots.

Prof. Tirthankar Bhattacharya, Department of Art History and Visual Arts, inaugurated the event and Prof. Satvinderpal, Chairperson, Department of Education welcomed the guests. 

Prof. Sudhesh Kumari addressed issues related to gender equality, emphasizing the roles of society and institutions. She acknowledged progress made while highlighting the work still required, noting constitutional empowerment and Panchayati Raj reservations, while underscoring the importance of intrinsic empowerment.Prof. Madhurima Verma shed light on critical challenges such as major crimes, including cruelty by husbands, kidnapping, abduction, molestation, and sex-selective abortion. She also drew attention to the concerning decline in the sex ratio, from 972 in 1901 to 943 in 2011, and the issue of girl child neglect in areas like nutrition and healthcare.

Prof. Anupama presented data on the female labour participation rate, noting its fluctuations and current stagnation. She highlighted India's low female employment rate compared to countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the paradox of India's leading position in STEM enrollment globally juxtaposed with its 19th position in STEM employment, indicating a gap between education and workforce participation. 

The panel discussion wasmoderated by Prof. Paru Bal Sidhu from the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, and Prof. Kuldeep Kaur from the Department of Education. 

Prof. Meenu Aggarwal Gupta, Department of English and Cultural Studies, proposed the vote of thanks and emphasised on the importance of fostering an engaging dialogue of empowering women across all sectors of society, addressing challenges, and maximizing.