Rhenock, February 3: Minister for Education, Sports & Youth Affairs, Law & Parliamentary Affairs and MLA Namcheybong Raju Basnet attended the inaugural session of the National Workshop on Gender Sensitisation as the chief guest at Sikkim Government College, Rhenock.
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| Image Courtesy: DIO Pakyong |
The workshop was organised by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of the college and held at its seminar hall. The programme aimed to establish a theoretical framework on gender sensitisation while fostering self-awareness about prevailing gender norms and social practices.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Raju Basnet appreciated the organisation of the workshop, describing it as timely and significant. He said that Sikkim, as a progressive state, has taken concrete steps towards reducing gender discrimination and promoting gender equality. He highlighted various state initiatives aimed at enhancing women’s participation across sectors, while ensuring the holistic development of both girls and boys in line with constitutional values of equality, dignity and inclusive growth.
The minister noted that the girl child in Sikkim is making steady progress across diverse fields under the leadership of the Chief Minister. He highlighted the Bahini Scheme as a pioneering initiative that ensures 100 per cent access to free and safe sanitary pads for girl students in secondary and senior secondary schools, thereby supporting health and academic participation. He also briefed students on the Chief Minister’s Education Assistance Scheme (CMEAS), urging them to utilise such support mechanisms to pursue higher education and build meaningful careers.
Secretary, Higher Education Department, Tenzing Kizom, in her address, underlined the importance of academic, vocational and capacity-building programmes in higher educational institutions. She said such initiatives strengthen the academic ecosystem and equip students with skills required to meet contemporary challenges. Emphasising faculty development, she noted that student growth is closely linked to the continuous professional advancement of educators, and congratulated the college for its commitment to quality education and social responsibility.
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Principal of Sikkim Government College, Rhenock, Shobha Sharma Basistha, briefed the gathering on the academic progress of the institution and highlighted ongoing awareness programmes and seminars aimed at enhancing student exposure and opportunities. She also placed requests related to infrastructure development and academic requirements.
The first technical session was conducted by Monika Bhatia, Assistant Professor, Department of School Management, MIIT University, Shillong, who discussed gender as a social construct and examined inequalities arising from rigid gender norms. The second session was led by Dinesh Bhatia, Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, who explored the influence of gender roles on identity, career expectations and personal biases.
The programme was attended by Vice Principal Santosh Poudyal, Dean of the College Saurav Pradhan, faculty members and students, marking a meaningful step towards promoting gender awareness and responsible citizenship among youth.
