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Mapping Women Learners in History Programmes: A Case Study of Netaji Subhas Open University
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Abstract
[POSTER] As the sole State Open University in the state of West Bengal in the eastern part of India, the role and responsibility of Netaji Subha Open University to empower its women learners through sustainable lifelong education is as untenable as it is imperative. The objective of a research project undertaken by the author was to determine how open and distance learning (ODL) integrating ICT was more effective and socially viable in educating women in the backward regions compared to the conventional method of learning. As a case study the UG and PG women learners of the History Department of Netaji Subhas Open University, West Bengal, India was considered. The focus was on women belonging to the socio-economic weaker sections of the society, namely from the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and belonging to the rural and panchayat areas. The married women and the difficulties faced by them to continue education was also considered. The study also emphasized the necessity to generate employment among women to make them financially stable. As regards methodology, the available data of UG and PG female students for five sessions 2017-18 to 2021-22 was collected from the University's Registrar Department. The data was analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 29.0.0.0(241). Data was also collected through Questionnaire on Google form involving learners and academic counsellors in the Learner Support Centres. A workshop was also conducted in which the students were given a brief outline about career perspectives. The findings indicated a rising trend in the education of females from the SC community which indicates the social inclusion of backward caste women in the university system. However, greater inroads can be made by NSOU to involve more ST women. Findings also revealed that a large section of the female learners of the university belonged to the panchayat region. Thus the University was to a large extent successful in its motto of 'Reaching the Unreached' Recommendations of the project included a bigger drive by the LSCs to enrol women learners in the remote regions of the state, integrating technology to design lifelong learning frameworks, to develop women education as a best practice etc. These recommendations are not limited to NSOU but can be used as a model for other Open Universities globally.
PCF11 Plus: Beyond the Forum
Sub-Theme: Gender, technology and innovation in open education
Paper ID: 3022
Country
India
Region
Asia
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Date
2025-09
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Commonwealth of Learning (COL)