5.3.4: Women’s Application in Underrepresented Subjects
Teerthanker Mahaveer University (TMU), Moradabad, demonstrates a strong institutional commitment to promoting gender equality by addressing the underrepresentation of women in specific academic disciplines, in alignment with SDG 5.3.4. The University has instituted targeted initiatives that facilitate and encourage women’s application and enrollment in traditionally male-dominated fields such as engineering, management, legal studies, pharmacy, and health sciences.
The University’s Women Empowerment Cell (WEC), alongside the Equal Opportunity Cell, leads robust outreach programs designed to inform and inspire potential female candidates about the benefits and opportunities in these underrepresented subjects. Awareness drives, career counselling sessions, and mentorship programs featuring successful women alumni provide role models and practical guidance, fostering informed decision making among aspiring female students.
TMU’s admission policies underpin these efforts by providing gender-sensitive measures, including priority counselling, to encourage female applicants to pursue courses in STEM and other professional disciplines. The provision of secure and well-equipped campus facilities, such as dedicated hostels, safe transportation, and gender-sensitive infrastructure, ensures a supportive learning environment for women pursuing these tracks.
The impact of these initiatives is reflected in a measurable increase in the enrollment of women in underrepresented subjects over recent academic cycles. TMU has witnessed rising numbers of female students taking admission in engineering, technology, management, and healthcare sciences, highlighting effective institutional strategies to reduce gender disparities. These efforts are complemented by curricular integration of gender sensitization and encouragement of women-led research projects that enhance inclusivity and academic excellence.
By institutionalizing a comprehensive framework that addresses both access and retention, TMU not only promotes gender equity in higher education but also contributes to creating skilled women professionals equipped to excel in competitive and traditionally male-dominated fields. These outcomes affirm TMU’s active role in progressing Sustainable Development Goal 5, thereby fostering equitable, inclusive, and transformative education aligned with national and global aspirations.