Political empowerment of women by giving Parl quota: VP

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu pitched on Monday for political empowerment of women by providing adequate reservation for them in Parliament and state legislatures.

At the third convocation ceremony of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), he expressed happiness over the fact that women constitute 51 per cent of the students in the institute because of special admission policy for them, and those hailing from distant places and belonging to marginalized sections.

"I would also like to stress on the need for political empowerment of women by providing adequate reservation for them in Parliament and state legislatures," Naidu said.

The Vice President asserted that the time has come for India to again emerge as a global hub of learning.

"For this to happen, our universities and institutions of higher learning have to reorient their methods of teaching and focus more sharply on research. In Indian civilization, emphasis was always on a holistic integrated vision of education. We must bring back this multi-disciplinary approach to learning," he added.

While the convocation was underway, hundreds of students gathered outside the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) auditorium, the venue of the event, to protest fee hike, curfew timings and dress code restrictions in the institute.

The gates of the AICTE, around 3 km from the JNU, were locked and security personnel were stationed in and outside the premises in wake of the protests that started in the morning. Students later reached the convocation area around 11.30 am.

According to a senior officer, the students broke barricades and marched towards the auditorium. Some of the protesters have been detained.