The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has established a new scholarship programme for female students enrolled in Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), and Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) programmes on the occasion of International Women's Day, March 8. The programme was unveiled as a part of AICTE's continuous initiatives to create an inclusive, equitable, and varied ecosystem for technical and management education in India.
An AICTE announcement states that 3,000 female students will receive financial aid of Rs 7.5 crore each year.
AICTE Chairman Prof TG Sitharam unveiled the plan in the presence of Private Secretary Rohini Bhajibhakare, who was there for the AICTE International Women's Day celebration, ANI reports.
AICTE-approved universities will be the recipient of 3,000 scholarships per year, all of which will go to female students from economically disadvantaged households. Each student would receive a yearly grant of Rs 25,000 under the scholarship. For three years, AICTE would invest a total of Rs 7.5 crore every year to support female students financially. Only female students enrolled in BBA, BCA, and BMS programmes at AICTE-approved universities are eligible for this unique grant.
While announcing the programme, AICTE Chairman Prof TG Sitharam stated that the organisation has implemented several initiatives, such as the PRAGATI Scheme for female engineering students, to empower women and realise their full potential in technical and management education.
“Since BBA, BCA and BMS undergraduate management courses have come under the AICTE umbrella from this year onwards, we decided to announce a special scheme for female students of UG management to promote gender equality, provide affordable education and empower girls in management education as well,” he added.
Prof TG Sitharam went on to say that AICTE is dedicated to creating an inclusive atmosphere where women not only flourish but also take the lead in influencing the direction of engineering and management in the future.
He added that there has been a significant increase in the enrollment of women in AICTE-approved institutions, with 39 per cent of women enrolling themselves in them between 2022 and 2023. This is an increase from 36 per cent in 2021-22 and 30 per cent in 2020-21.
Speaking of the enrollment of women in engineering colleges, the chairman said, “The percentage of women enrolled in engineering diplomas and UG has also witnessed a significant increase. In 2022-23, 29 per cent of women enrolled in Engineering diplomas and 44 per cent enrolled in UG Engineering courses. The women's enrollment in UG Engineering was 29 per cent in 2019-20 which increased to 31 per cent and 40 per cent in the two consecutive years.”
“The increasing percentage of women enrollment over the years underscores the growing recognition of women's capabilities and the need for diversity in the engineering and management workforce,” he added.
In the announcement of the scholarship, AICTE reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women in engineering and technology through its new and reformative initiatives.
“Encouraging and supporting women in engineering and management is not only the right thing to do but also essential for India's progress and prosperity for Viksit Bharat by 2047,” the release said.
