Students of women's studies at the Patna University library. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, July 14: The postgraduation course in women studies at Patna University has not kept the guys away.

Offered by the history department of the university, the one-year diploma course takes a socio-political and economic approach to study women-related issues and is widely popular among men too.

The new 2011-2012 session, which is set to start on Friday, is proof enough. Of the 74 students selected for the course after interview, the number of boys in the course this year is 33.

The overall popularity of the course has also touched the sky compared to previous years, as an unprecedented 98 applications were received for it. This session, teachers of women’s studies will be able to teach all 60 students — the course capacity.

Last year, 39 students had taken admission in the course leaving 21 seats vacant, while in 2009, 27 seats remained vacant.

At the other end of the spectrum, this year, 14 students are on the waiting list, courtesy the surplus number of successful candidates from the interview round.

The women studies co-ordinator, Padamlata Thakur, said: “It is for the first time since the course started in 2007 that we are going to have full strength of students.”

Bharti S. Kumar, the head of department, history, will formally inaugurate the course on Friday.

On the popularity for the course among men, Thakur said: “The issues we are dealing with are not only of interest to women but to all. Apart from graduate students, lawyers, social workers and professionals also enrol in the course to understand women’s position in society.”

The yearlong course offers comprehensive training in the constitutional rights and duties of women and various provisions in the Indian Penal Code for protection of women at home and workplace.

Amit Keshav, a recent women’s studies passout, said: “It is impossible to ignore women, who make up half the population of the country, and hope for development of society.”

Keshav has rejected a job offer from a non-government organisation (NGO) and plans to set up a NGO of his own with other batchmates.

Keshav said: “We have thought of starting an NGO, which will deal with washroom facilities for girls. We plan to construct restrooms for women in public places like markets and bus stands, as there are no proper sanitation facilities for women in the city.”

Echoing Keshav’s views, Nilesh Kumar, his batchmate, said: “In Patna, public places like Mauryalok Complex, Khaitan Market and government bus stands don’t have separate restrooms for women. The ones that do have the facilities are dirty and unhygienic.”

Kamlesh added that the group will also approach the state government for fund and space to set up public restrooms.