A few years back, my ideologies and beliefs were entirely different from what they are today. Earlier, I used to dance to the tunes of Bollywood songs Chikni Chameli and Munni Badnaam Hui with joy without even realising that such songs are meant only for objectifying women. I even felt that it was normal to compare women with men because that is how the society worked, right? My beliefs and ideologies would have been same today, had I not taken admission in a women’s college. Thanks to my college, I am now capable of questioning the ‘normal’ and also of reading between the lines.
Studying in a women’s college comes with a lot of advantages. Shweta Notaney, a third year student of Multimedia and Mass Communication at IP College for Women shares how studying in a women’s college helped her in understanding the effects of patriarchy in our society. “In the past three years, I have been trying to unlearn all the things that patriarchy has taught me and my college has played a major role in helping me broaden my perspective. I also believe that the atmosphere in the college is such that you really come out as a strong woman and you are proud of it,” she says.
Women’s colleges certainly help young girls in shaping their opinions and in building a strong personality. Students in these colleges openly discuss various issues like periods and PCOS. It is also quite common to see professors discussing about feminism in every lecture or talking about how the ill-treatment towards women is normalised in a society.
Another big advantage of studying in a women’s college is the freedom of clothing. Harshita Upadhyay, a final year graduation student of IP College for Women believes, “Studying in a women’s college gives me the liberty to dress up in the manner I want to, something that is not really possible for women studying in co-ed colleges. They are forced to compromise with comfort or fashion since the constant staring and lewd comments not only makes them uncomfortable but also compels them to dress in a so called ‘appropriate’ manner. I wish freedom of clothing was a right that people, especially women, could enjoy in women’s and co-ed colleges alike.”
There are no two opinions about the fact that women’s colleges transform young women into confident and aware individuals and give them freedom to wear whatever they want to. However, not everything is hunky dory inside the premises of these colleges especially for the students living in hostels who have to abide by stringent rules. Divya Charnalia who lives in the hostel of a women’s college shares her thoughts while saying, “It’s a known fact that curfew timings vary for girls and boys hostels. Though enforcing stringent curfew timings is a move towards ensuring discipline, it should be absolute and common for both girls and boys hostels. If not, curfew timings should be flexible for both.”
Day scholars at women’s colleges are equally unhappy with the long lectures at college. Classes are excruciating, stretching from 8:30 a.m. in the morning to 5:00 p.m. in the evening. On some days, there are no breaks in between these lectures.
Interestingly, voices which are loud and confident when it comes to social issues are silenced when they attempt to question the administration and working of the college. Some of the women’s colleges in University of Delhi like IP College for Women for instance is not even a part of DUSU (Delhi University Students Association).
Studying in a women’s college comes with it’s own pros and cons. However, after spending nearly three years in a women’s college I can now safely say that studying in such colleges is an experience in itself. During these three years, you’ll definitely make some amazing friends and memories which you’ll cherish for your entire life.