Hyderabad: The Telangana government has rolled back a controversial order which barred married women from applying for admissions to the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Degree Colleges for Women.
The government had issued the order citing that married women will be “distraction” for the other girls when their husbands or in-laws will visit them in college.
Speaking to Media, Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS) Secretary Dr Praveen Kumar clarified, “The notification is erroneously understood. The purpose of setting up such colleges for girls is to encourage higher education so that they become independent, and also to save lakhs of girls from child marriages. We believe all girls have all rights to complete education. We clarify that we do not deny anyone admission on her marital status.”
The decision had come under fire from women’s organisations, activists and opposition parties.
V Sandhya, president of the People’s Organisation for Women told Media, “We strongly condemn such notification. It’s a patriarchal and discriminatory decision. The government admits to child marriages but have failed to eradicate it and taking imposing such restrictions.”
Child rights activist Achyut Rao, who has been campaigning against under-age marriages in the state, said, “It is discouraging for women to keep away from the education if they are married. When child marriage rate is very high in the state and the state could not stop this, how can they disqualify married women from pursuing higher education? Now, every girl will be able to apply to residential degree college.”
The opposition parties had also lashed out the at the government’s decision. Congress spokesperson Krishank said, “It’s an atrocious policy for women by the TRS government. Instead of providing opportunity, they are restricting it. The Congress party will fight it out and not allow the government to take decisions that is against backward classes.”
The Telangana government had started 30 residential degree colleges. These colleges provide free education, food and bear the living expenses of the students. Notification has been issued for 8,400 seats this year. Most seats are reserved for SC/ST and backward classes.
