hey are known to be studious, they score high in exams and some of them choose to study even after marriage and becoming mothers, but in spite of obtaining the highest of qualifications, women in Kerala seem to stop growing in their careers after a certain point. This is also true of the academic hierarchy. Hardly any women are seen in important positions in the higher education sector in Kerala.
Although women have taken up the position of Principals in several colleges, higher administrative positions like Vice-Chancellors and Pro Vice-Chancellors of Universities are by far dominated by men. Of the 13 State universities in Kerala, only one has a woman VC — J Letha of Cochin University of Science and Technology. Two of them have women Pro Vice-Chancellors — Sheena Shukkur of MG University and Suchetha Nair of Sanskrit University. The only other University with a woman Vice-Chancellor is National University of Advanced Legal Studies, which has Rose Varghese at its helm.
It was only a decade ago that the State saw its first woman VC when Jancy James had taken over the reins of MG University in 2004. “May be it was only then that they thought it was time for a woman to take up this role, although the State has been quite forward in women’s education for a long time,” says Jancy. In her career which started in 1976, Jancy had administrative experience of 12 years as the Founder-Director of the Centre for Comparative Literature at Kerala University.
For Jancy, her career was a choice. Her interest in academic interest was truly tested when she was given the charge of VC of the newly founded Central University, Kozhikode in 2009. “It was a challenge to build a university from scratch. But it turned out to be easy. Because at MG University, which was much more established, it was difficult to undo a lot of things that did not seem right. At Central University, it was a new beginning and I could work on things systematically,” says Jancy.
From the appointment of staff to setting up 16 departments, she set up a university at a location that is not a major city in Kerala — Kasargod. “I received a lot of support and respect from people,” she says. However, it could be difficult sometimes to work in a post that sees a lot of political interference. “With political parties being active on campus, it gets in the way of administration, as the college union gets their way. It is disheartening to see students corner you sometimes. But I understand that they do it because their party leaders ask them to. I have had students telling me, ‘Ma’am, we have nothing against you but we have to do it for our party,” she adds.
When J Letha took charge as the VC of Cochin University of Science and Technology in October 2014, her appointment was not received well. Syndicate members’ arguments about who should take up the position had resulted in the members locking horns in public, causing much embarrassment to the university and the political leaders. Months later, when asked how she managed to work in such a politically charged atmosphere, she says, “You just have to stay calm. When you are in a position because of merit and not because of any political influence, you don’t owe anybody anything. Listen to all of them and do what you can do within your limits. If their demands are unjustifiable, explain that to them and do not hesitate to say no.”
She agrees that there can be gossips and comments made to shatter the woman in power. “But you don’t have to argue. Give them some time and they will understand what sort of a person you are,” she says.
As Director of Technical Education in Kerala from 2007 to 2011, Letha has had a strong base in administration. She calls it one of the remarkable achievements of her career to have been able to implement e-governance in the directorate and all the colleges under it.
She says her mother is her role model. While her mother had not taken up any big roles professionally, she had much to teach her children. “My mother is 102 years old now. My father died when I was one. It was my mother who brought us up — nine children. Even I, the youngest of all, hold a postgraduate degree from IIT and five PhDs of which three are ongoing. It was her hard work that paid off,” she says.
The two Pro VC in the State say they found it easy to take up administrative responsibilities, as they had a lot of support from their colleagues and family. A teacher of Journalism at Calicut University from 1989 and the Head of the department of Journalism at the University from 2008, Suchetha Nair took charge as Pro VC of Sanskrit University in 2012.
“I was asked if I was willing to take up the role, as I was qualified. I responded positively. But I don’t know how many women are asked that even if they have the required qualification and don’t know how many women would take it up if they were given such an opportunity. It is difficult to get into such a role. But your co-workers and the university are supportive and understand that you have other commitments like family,” she says.
Political interference, however, has always been a bitter experience for these women. “Students walk up to you with various demands. You could be at the receiving end of their hurtful behaviour. I have felt that they think women are easy targets. Because, when there was a man in the position earlier, there was no problem. When I took charge, they began targeting me, even when men were responsible for certain discrepancies. The men, who were the culprits, walked free,” reveals Suchetha.
For some women, administration has been a cake walk. Sheena Shukkur, Pro VC of MG University, who has also been the Vice-Chancellor in-charge in the absence of an appointed person, says, “I never experienced opposition for reasons of gender. The support I received from the members, syndicate and the employees of the university has been amazing. I’ve had painful instances related to my community but not related to gender. Also, I was fortunate enough not to face any political interventions from the people who nominated and appointed me. I have never felt pressured to do anything in my campus administration”.
However, she does acknowledge the problem of women being unable to break the glass ceiling in many ways. “Women make up for 50 per cent of early career academics and 60 per cent of students. On entering higher education, there are dropouts at all levels — graduate, postgraduate and research. Adding to several other reasons for their dropout rates are also sexual advances by faculty/staff of the institution,” she points out.
The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi, is untouched by the politics faced by State universities but the responsibility of a Vice-Chancellor here is not just day-to-day administration but also ensuring the smooth functioning of a university that has students from different states with different cultures. Rose Varghese, who was a practising lawyer for seven years, took to teaching temporarily in 1988 and enjoyed it thoroughly. She joined Jamia Millia Islamia University in 1994 and was the Dean of Law faculty there when she was appointed Vice-Chancellor of NUALS in October 2014.
“When I joined, people asked me if it was a challenge to take up the role of a Vice-Chancellor, as a woman. Yes, it was, but not because I am a woman but because the role itself is challenging. People think it is more difficult as a woman. I have never felt so. I tell all the ladies here to be professional. Everybody has commitments outside work but being a woman does not give you any privilege to impose additional responsibilities on your male colleagues,” she asserts.
“I have seen women leave from work early often. That is not right. If you want to be treated equally, you should be professional and work on par with men. Do not tag yourself with gender,” she says. Speaking out against gender disparity, she says, “Much of it comes from the family. When parents are careful not to discriminate between sons and daughters, the children will be careful not to do it in society when they grow up.”
While these top women academicians say they have not come across negative remarks made about them, some of them admit that society sometimes has a negative attitude towards women. “People have never spoken badly to me but I have seen them having a negative attitude towards other women who are in similar roles. Even when people say they are proud of women’s growth and development, there is definitely a tendency to downplay the role of women and suppress them. The glass ceiling is a reality,” says Jancy.
All of these women have been daughters, wives, daughters-in-law, mothers and some even grandmothers. They have balanced their family life along with their successful career. They owe this balance to the role their parents, husband and children play, they say. While they have much respect for men, they believe women are good at administration and sometimes better than men. They argue that women are patient, hardworking, tend to be less corrupt and are good at multi-tasking, and so any woman who wishes to break that glass ceiling could do so with some amount of confidence and determination.
— revathi@newindianexpress.com