Why Attending Women’s College is Relevant To Young Indian Woman

College is a time that is best known for self-exploration, experimentation and personal development. It is the first time most young people leave their homes and get their very first taste of responsibility. With this responsibility comes independence and most young people look forward to a time in which they can make decisions for themselves, especially in terms of dating. This is what usually deters many young women from attending a women’s college, with that being said, girls colleges have many benefits that create a strong foundation and provide young women with unbeatable advantages that will sustain them through a lifetime.

Also Read: Lessons Learnt From Studying In A Girls’ College

What makes them truly unique and essential is that they create spaces for women to enjoy unfettered speech and express their ideas and thoughts in a safe space. Additionally, they also challenge the male-centric worldview of history, anthropology and all other subjects they are investigated and evaluated from a female perspective.

Class Room Environment

The classroom environment at women’s colleges is truly electric. You have a range of women from all over the country coming together in the pursuit of academic interests. What makes them truly unique and essential is that they create spaces for women to enjoy unfettered speech and express their ideas and thoughts in a safe space. Additionally, they also challenge the male-centric worldview of history, anthropology and all other subjects they are investigated and evaluated from a female perspective. It is found that women are deterred from being as vocal and taking as much space in heteronormative environments and therefore are more confident to form opinions and express them vocally at Women’s institutions.

Cultivates Leaders, more chance for leadership positions

With the lack of male presence also comes more opportunity for women to take up leadership positions in and outside academia. The dynamic environments of women’s colleges are always pushing for more exposure and more opportunities, this creates an environment where effective leadership and teamwork is necessary to create and make programs possible, from fundraising to student body initiatives.

Women’s colleges are the most conducive environment in which to sharpen your leadership abilities.

Community

Another advantage of studying and living in an all-women’s space is that it creates a sense of community that is distinct and strong. It brings together culturally diverse, but like-minded women that have their education and ambition in common to create its own unique culture that places women’s ideas and voices at the forefront and is fostered by mutual respect. This is the kind of sisterhood need to be cultivated so that we have fewer cases of women rising in their fields and reaping the benefits individually and more cases of women reaching out to uplift other women in their community, whether it’s through counsel, skill-development or even opportunities.

Due to the strong and shared culture of these institutions, the school’s alumni community stay well connected and prove to be a greater resource to graduating students looking for jobs or opportunities or even guidance.

Strong Academic foundation + STEM subjects

Women’s colleges attract women who truly value the gift of education and therefore make the most of their opportunities inside the classroom. The environment fosters a culture of academic inquiry and high performance. Statistics reveal women who are not in co-ed environments are far likelier to pursue STEM subjects, that is extremely technical coursework such as, Science subjects, engineering, Technology, and mathematics. Women’s Colleges are extremely conducive environments for quantitatively inclined women to perform and maximize their potential.

While opting for co-educational institutions for higher education might be the norm in India and all over the world the benefits academically and personally are worth considering. The nurturing environment, the open-mindedness, the constant questioning of the status quo and the will to take ideas learnt in the classroom to the outside world is exactly what the young Indian would benefit from.

Also Read: India’s college girls react to rape cases, say safety of women remains compromised

Akansha is an intern with SheThePeople.TV