Mumbai: A radical change in public mindset is the key to increasing the number of girls taking up higher education in Maharashtra, Higher and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Tope said here Wednesday.
"The aim is to change the public mindset and ensure gender equality by having more girls take up higher education," Tope told reporters here.
The Maharashtra government has launched the `Jagar Jaanivancha` programme in collaboration with the Yashwantrao Pratishtan that focuses on gender equality.
The programme also attempts to mitigate cases of sexual harassment, ragging and molestation in school and college campuses by improving the security system of institutions at the district and state level.
"The state government has issued a government resolution (GR) in this regard on October 23 last year. Accordingly, the GR has been issued in all the colleges of the state. So, far 50 per cent colleges have participated in this programme," he added.
Tope said the programme lays emphasis on improving the infrastructure of the college and give suggestions to the government on improving security in college premises.
He said those colleges which perform well at the district, university and state levels will be rewarded.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule who was present claimed that the programme would help girls to taek up education "fearlessly".
PTI
