Bhubaneswar: In a first, Rama Devi (RD) Women’s University in Odisha capital will allow men to enrol for PhD programme at the institute meant for women students.
Reports suggest that Suprit Panigrahi an assistant professor in the department of Gender Studies is among the first picked to pursue PhD at the varsity. This followed the decision taken at the 26th Meeting of the university’s syndicate on September 28, 2022, to allow male faculty members to register for the programme.
Vice-Chancellor Aparajita Chowdhury said that an official confirmation on his name is awaited. “Since the facility is available at the institute and is essential for the career development of our faculty members, they should be allowed to pursue it. He is a confirmed regular faculty member of the university. We have followed all rules and regulations to allow the faculty member to register for a PhD programme,” she said.
The decision had been passed by the university’s syndicate, regulation committee, academic council, examination committee, and department research committee, she added.
The controller of examinations Mamata Mohanty, however, told Odisha Bytes: “Although the Syndicate last year decided to allow male faculty members to enrol for PhD, I have not yet received any official confirmation regarding Suprit Panigrahi’s selection.”
Meanwhile, the decision has not gone down well with the girl students of the university. “This university is exclusively for female students. If the varsity allows a male faculty member to pursue PhD, it will also result in a reduction of seats meant for women students,” student Fatima Khatun told local media.
