The department of women studies, Patna University, is going to start a full-time masters programme in the subject from the coming academic session (2012-13).

The department is, at present, running a nine-month postgraduate diploma course in women studies. The course will be discontinued from this year.

According to Padamlata Thakur, the course-coordinator of women studies, the idea to start a two-year masters programme in the subject was mooted based on the demand of students. Thakur said: “There are many government agencies, self-help groups (SHGs) and NGOs which give preference to student having two-year masters degree programme in women studies.”

Moreover, students after completing their master degree programme in women studies will be eligible to apply for National Eligibility Test (NET), which was not possible with the post-graduate diploma course, she added.

The self-financed inter-disciplinary course will take 60 students. The admission will be conducted on the basis of interviews, which will be held on July 3. Graduates from any subject can apply for the course.

The masters course will include various aspects such as constitutional rights and duties of women, provision within Indian Penal Code (IPC) to safeguard the interest of women not only at home but also in workplace.

Bharti S. Kumar, director of women studies department, said: “With globalisation and creation of more jobs in public and private sectors, women are walking shoulder-to-shoulder with men. At times, they become victims of atrocities at workplace. The course offers various legal and constitutional aspects for safeguarding the rights of women at workplace.”

Papers such as women and law, taught by Patna High Court lawyer Anjana Bhagat, and women in economics, taught by Sashi Gupta, deal with various provisions of law protecting the rights of women in workplace.

Topics related to women who played a role in social reforms, such as Pandita Ramabai, 19th century social activist who dedicated her life to the uplift of women, and Roquia Sakhawat Hussain, writer and social worker in the early 20th century, would also be taught.

As Patna University is going to introduce semester system in post-graduate courses from the coming academic session, there will be four semesters in women studies programme, comprising 16 papers.

Kumar said: “With the introduction of semester system, the focus will be on holding of more seminars, symposiums and debates on various issues affecting students. We are planning to invite eminent personalities who have been working on women’s issue to guide our students.”

Teachers engaged in the post-graduate diploma programme said earlier working professionals, students, social workers and academics opted for the short-duration course.

Manit Kishore, a student of women studies department who has completed his post-graduate diploma course and is working with Pathfinder, an NGO, said: “I had opted for the course as I wanted to know the various aspects of domestic violence in which not only female but male too are subjects of victimisation,” said Kishore, who is also giving training to workers associated with ASHA (accredited social health activist) and anganwadi.