Delhi University is one of those rare universities in the world that adorns a huge number of women’s colleges. We are all proud to say that a huge chunk of the colleges under Delhi University are all women institutions. However, when we look back at the time when these colleges were established, it makes us question the motive behind these all girls’ institutions. Were the founders actually thinking of women empowerment when they set these up?

Now, hold your horses my ladies. I don’t want to offend anybody, so let me just clear it up by saying that I myself am a feminist studying in a girls’ college, just giving my opinion over something I had been wondering about for quite a while. So now that we’re done with that, let’s get started.

Let’s face the facts. India has always been a backward and an orthodox country when it came to raising our kids, especially girls – no shorts, spaghetti straps (let’s talk sleeveless first), no going out late at night – you get the gist. Now, I know, a lot of us have been born in houses where we are not faced with draconian restrictions, but you can’t deny that many of our girls go through it. Then comes the absolutely absurd/scary idea of boys. How many of you have actually gone ahead and talked to your parents about a boy that you like? I’m sure the percentage must be low. I haven’t, I can assure that to you, though the reasons for that are quite different and irrelevant, to be honest.

However, one thing we can say, is that nobody has any problem with us interacting with boys. However, if you trace this back to the last century, that wasn’t really the case. It’s very sad to say that back then, women were expected to get comfortable with their own gender (and now they have a problem with LGBTQ, can Indians ever be happy?) and refrain from interacting with boys. Nevertheless, education was also important (thank god) and hence the idea of girls’ colleges came up. Now I am not saying that it’s true, but you can’t deny that it is a theory. Well, if this was the idea behind them, I don’t really know if it backfired or not, we are pretty much acing everything (no distractions, I guess?).

Whatever may be the idea, I’m just glad that they thought of education, and that is the primary goal. Our girls are doing awesome. Thanks to these colleges, Delhi University also has a boast-worthy sex ratio. Also, it is commendable that forgetting the history, all these colleges possess the spirit of feminism.

You go girl!!