Dignitaries release a souvenir on gender sensitivity at the foundation day programme of NCERT in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 2: The National Council of Educational Research and Training has decided to include gender sensitisation in the academic curricula.

The council is already undertaking an exhaustive exercise to analyse textbooks from the gender perspective.

This will ensure that the students are aware about the subject from their early years, said Jyotshna Mahapatra, senior faculty of the Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar, at the 54th Foundation Day of the council. The theme for this year’s programme was “gender inclusion”.

While the council has conducted an analysis of its own textbooks, the books recommended by various state boards, including that of Odisha, will be analysed from the gender perspective.

“We are already doing a lot of research work on gender issues. We are also conducting training for women employees,” said Mahapatra, adding that several materials had also been developed to strengthen gender concerns.

Moreover, the department of women studies of the council has been recently renamed as the department of gender studies.

The forum has been focusing on gender studies right from its inception in tune with the National Policy of Education, 1986, and the National Curriculum Framework, 2005. It has also undertaken research, development of material, capacity building and support to stakeholders through extension activities.

The most recent initiative includes curricular material for Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidalaya and capacity building of the teachers and teacher educators across the states.

Utkal University vice-chancellor A.K. Das graced the occasion as the chief guest.