Department of Gender Studies (DGS)
Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary area which cuts across caste, class faith and location. It is basic to the construction of knowledge and is a critical marker of social transformation. This emerging area incorporates methods and approaches from a wide range of disciplines, yet unifying them through a critical angle of vision. Gender should become an important organizing principle of the national and state curriculum frameworks and their transaction
The Department of Gender Studies (DGS), NCERT, stands committed to work towards this mandate. It plans and implements its activities in accordance with the broad roles and functions of the NCERT. The Department works toward addressing power relations in a multi-cultural society like India, which has diversities and differences embedded in itself. It stands committed to work for a gender-inclusive society through elimination of gender bias.
Recently, the NCERT renamed the Department of Women’s Studies as Department of Gender Studies in the light of a landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India in 2014, for treating transgender (TG) as ‘third gender’. Therefore, for the purpose of safeguarding and enforcing appropriately their rights guaranteed under the Constitution, DGS stands committed to work for gender-inclusive society. The Department also advises and helps the Centre and the States in formulating and executing policies and programmes in the area of girl’s education and empowerment.
Role and Function
- Awareness Generation for Action: Sensitization and orientation of key educational personnel including teacher educators, educational planners and administrators on gender concerns in education, including transgender.
- Re–designing Curriculum and Educational Programmes: Elimination of gender bias from textbooks and other teaching-learning material, development of guidelines, handbooks and other exemplar materials. Development of textual and non-textual materials for promotion of gender equality and making the curriculum and its transaction gender inclusive.
- Orientation of Curriculum Makers, Textbook Writers and Educational Planners: Sensitization and orientation programmes for incorporation of identified values that commensurate with equality between sexes, peace and harmony in textbooks and school curriculum.
- Inculcation of Self-esteem and Self-confidence among Children irrespective of Gender: Inculcation of positive self-image and self-concept among children of all genders, including transgender, in close liaison with the experts from different relevant areas and through interactive processes and media support.
- Research and Innovative Action Projects: Preparation of innovative projects and conducting research in the area of gender studies, girl’s education and empowerment.
- Inputs into Teacher Education: Formulation of intervention strategies for inputs into teacher education curriculum, training of teacher educators, pre-service and in-service education of teachers for promoting gender sensitization among practitioners.
- Networking: Work in close collaboration with the constituent units of NCERT, MHRD, Planning Commission, Department of Women and Child Development, NUEPA, Women’s Studies Centres, Universities, Faculties of Education, National, International and Voluntary Agencies working in the area of Gender Studies and Girl’s/Women’s Education and empowerment.
- Community Mobilisation: Mobilizing community through advocacy and sensitization campaigns for the educational and overall development of girl child.
- Interacting with Media: Development of messages and audio-video materials and sensitizing media on relevant themes.
Vision of DGS
Every child, irrespective of gender, is able to exercise right to quality education, is capable of facing the challenges of life at varied fronts and is empowered in the true sense of functionality, in order to be able to make informed choices and take action without being intimidated.
Mission of DGS
The Department of Gender Studies in committed to making significant impact on education and quality of life of children; play a leading role in removing barriers to education; redress all forms of discrimination in education; work towards bringing positive societal change in favour of girl child and transgender and enable them to attain their full potentials. DGS attempts to achieve this through its intervention in policies, curriculum framework and schemes and programmes. The Department envisions that education should be embedded with the principle of gender justice, harmony and peace.
List of Master Trainers
- PAC Prog.(4.04) “Capacity Building of Secondary Teachers from the Aspirational Districts of Western Region on Gender Issues in Education” (8 – 12 July, 2019)
- Training Programme on Gender Issues in Education for the Principals of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs): North Eastern Region (2014-15)
- Training Programme on Gender Issues in Education for the Principals of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (2015-16)
- Orientation Programme for Teacher Educators from DIETs and SCERTs on Gender Issues in Education with Focus on Educational Development of Girls belonging to Scheduled Tribe in the North East Region (2015-16)
- List of Master Trainers