Question : Change in Admission Policy

(a) whether all female admission seekers in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) were entitled to 5 ''deprivation'' points in the entrance exam, which were introduced in 1994, if so, the details of the said policy;
(b) whether JNU has reduced the compulsory grace points available hitherto to women candidates as it has amended its admission policy recently;
(c) whether the said amendment in the policy in vogue would affect the women admission seekers in the University and if so, the details thereof;
(d) the remedial steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard; and
(e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to improve the education of women in the country?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)
(a) to (c) Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has reported that till 2015-16, all female candidates were eligible for 05 deprivation points. However, from 2016-17, all female/transgender candidates are eligible for deprivation points as per details given below:-
<pre>
Eligibility Points to be awarded
10th /High School/ Matriculation /12th level/B.A. /B.Sc. /M.A. /M.Sc. education for either 1st or 2nd quartile districts. 04
From districts that are not backward 02
</pre>
A female/transgender candidate having completed schooling or B.A. /B.Sc. / or M.A./M.Sc. from either a quartile 1 or a quartile 2 district should be awarded 04 points. Since, admission process for the current Academic Session (2016-17) is underway, it is difficult to make assessment at this stage.

(d) JNU is a statutory autonomous institution established by an Act of Parliament and governed by the JNU Act and Statutes and the Ordinances framed there-under and is competent to take decision and action in academic and administrative matters of the University.

(e) The expansion of education among girls/women has been an integral part of educational policies and programmes. The National Policy on Education 1986 (as modified in 1992) lays emphasis on education of girls/women through empowerment programmes. In Higher Education sector, University Grants Commission (UGC) has allocated special grants for construction of Women hostels in the Universities and undertaken schemes like
(i) Single Girl Child Scheme; (ii) Post-Doctoral Fellowship for Women (iii) UGC funding to Women’s University; (iv) Establishment of Women Study Centers. Women are also given relaxation in maximum duration for completion of M.Phil and Ph.D, transfer of research data in case of their re-location due to marriage & otherwise and maternity and child care leaves.

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