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SPJIMR launches Diploma Programme on "Women’s representation in the state assembly is currently less than five per cent. More women should contest the elections as they bring in value-based politics," speaker of the state assembly Arun Gujrathi observed on Women’s Day. Mr. Gujrathi was speaking at the inaugural function of a six-month educational course at the S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) in Andheri aimed at educating women who plan to join politics. The diploma programme ‘Women and Political Governance’, created jointly by the Times Foundation, Women’s Movement for Peace and Prosperity (WMPP) and SPJIMR is the first initiative of the kind to train women for mainstream Indian politics and governance. Sheela Bhavnani, sister of deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani, lighted the lamp at the inauguration of the programme. Inaugurating the programme, Maharashtra governor Mohammed Fazal spoke about the present-day image of the Indian politician as a ‘rowdy’ and a ‘cheat’, and of the need to change it. The governor also pointed out instances where women had been put in important political positions for namesake. Although admissions to the course will begin in July this year, details like the criteria for selection, fee structure and class strength are still being worked out. The course will be a six-hour, nonconventional training programme run only on Saturdays and Sundays. It comprises a motley mix of subjects to introduce the candidates to various aspects of politics like cultivating leadership qualities, budget presentations, workings of the local corporations, the state assembly and parliament, the Indian constitution andfundraising for political parties. Also present at the function were Leena Prabhoo, general secretary, WMPP, local MP Sunil Dutt, Dr. Sneha Palnitkar, Director, All India Institute of Local Self Governance and Dr. M. L. Shrikant, Dean SPJIMR. Contributed by - |
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