NEW DELHI: At a meeting of the Standing Committee of the University of Delhi held on Monday, several additional elective courses proposed for the second semester of the two-year postgraduate programme in Economics were placed for consideration.
Among these was Course 4, titled Economics and Gender. Members of the Standing Committee representing the NDTF raised concerns regarding the syllabus presentation and the scope of certain units. Monami Sinha, a member of the committee, said reservations were expressed about Unit 3, Crime and Gender, which included topics such as intimate partner violence, domestic violence, and crimes against women.
“In response, the Head of the Department of Economics clarified that issues related to gender-based violence form a recognised area of economic research. She noted an extensive body of literature analysing the economic costs of violence against women and its implications for productivity, labour markets, and overall growth. Gender-related constraints, including social norms and safety, have measurable economic effects,” Sinha said.