A bill to set up an all-women university in Rae Bareli was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The university is named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who represented Rae Bareli several times. Congress president Sonia Gandhi is currently representing the constituency.
The university would come up at an estimated cost of `500 crores during the 12th Plan period and the expenditure would be met by the Consolidated Fund of India through the University Grants Commission under the budgetary provisions of the HRD ministry.
The bill states, “Establishment of a Central university for women would have a multiplier effect on availability of empowered women in all walks of life.
“As a model Central university for women, it will create standards of excellence to be followed by others. Such a university will help in the fight to overcome discrimination and change perceptions about what women can and should do.”
The bill also states that the university shall not discriminate women on the basis of cast, creed, race or class “and it shall not be lawful for the university to adopt or impose any test whatsoever of religious belief or profession in order to entitle her to be admitted as a student in the university.”