Advocates of equal gender representation argue that higher education facilities need to be distributed equally between males and females whereas there are some others who feel that such a system would put higher education in disarray.

• Discuss both the views and put in what you feel about the first argument?

The right to higher education is equal for both the genders in all democracies. But, coming to earmarking higher education facilities equally between them, I tend to say it would be better to keep them open for both than equally distributed.

My argument favouring the second opinion is that doing higher education is more a matter of attitude and interest than one of right or entitlement. For example, a boy who has got great interest in doing some higher studies may not be able to find a seat of his choice if there is a stipulated number of seats for boys, and of course for girls. Secondly, demographically speaking, the numbers of boys and girls who go for higher education have never been equal even in the most advanced of democracies.

Let me see the first view of earmarking higher education seats equally. If it is set so, there are a few dangers. Firstly, a right candidate may not find a slot, and many wrong ones will find their places, too. Secondly, there is a possibility of seats remaining vacant for want of enough takers. For example, let us take the case of mechanical engineering. Boys are more interested in it than girls. Obviously, the seats set for girls may not get filled. This will lead to great losses in terms of infrastructure, faculty and allied facilities.

So, in short, what I feel about the first argument is that it is not only reasonable but unrealistic as well to keep all, I repeat, to keep all higher education seats equally divided. Rather it would be better to keep all education opportunities open for all.

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