Department of Women's Studies

The Centre for Women’s Studies was started in the year 2004 with the financial support of the University Grants Commission in X plan period. It was upgraded into full-fledged Department of Women’s Studies in the year 2008 in XI plan period. During the XII plan period the Department of Women’s Studies has been upgraded to phase II in 2012, in the same plan period the department has upgraded to phase III from April 2016 onwards with enhanced financial assistance. The interdisciplinary nature of Women’s Studies is capable of cultivating a critical attitude towards disciplinary constraints, which allows research to move beyond discipline boundaries. It serves to build a bridge between arts, science and technology, between skill-building and general education and between individual capacity enhancement and social awareness. 

Teaching

The department is involved in Teaching, Research, Training, Extension and Field action projects. It offers M.A Gender Studies as an interdisciplinary field that explores how society shapes ideas of gender, identity, roles, and relationships. It examines how cultural, social, political, and economic factors influence the experiences of people of all genders. Moving beyond the traditional focus on biological differences, Gender Studies highlights how expectations and inequalities are constructed and maintained in everyday life.  The department also offers Ph.D Research Programme in Gender Studies as an interdisciplinary field. 

• Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary in nature encourages the students and researches from multiple academic disciplines into one activity. 

• Extension activities and community-oriented programs/visits are upgrading the knowledge and skills from educational institutions to the public, bridging academia and real- life environment.

• Empanelled Institute by MWCD, New Delhi to conduct PoSH Act Awareness/ Training/ Workshop from February 2017 onwards

• Approved Empanelled Resource Person by MWCD, New Delhi to conduct PoSH Act Awareness/ Training/ Workshop from 2025 onwards

• Women Welfare Laws 
• Child Rights
• Gender Sensitization
• Empanelled Resource Person by MWCD, New Delhi to conduct PoSH Act Awareness/ Training/ Workshop from 2025 onwards
• Gender Budgeting and Auditing

• UGC funded Department with an up gradation of phase III from April 2016.

• The department has secured financial support from various funding agencies like MHRD, MWCD, NCW, NHRC, NRDMS, MSJE, NSDC, SRDPR, RUSA, UGC and CMRG.

• Signed LOC with Oregon State University (OSU), Corvallis, USA for Faculty and Student exchange collaboration for research and further studies for the period of 2020-2025.

• Dr.K.Manimekalai Professor and Head, (2006-2007)

• Dr. Malarvizhi, lecturer (2006-2007)

• Dr.M.Jeyarathnam Professor and Director (2008-2013)

• Dr.Rupa Gunaseelan (2013-2014)

• Dr.Zenetta Rosaline (2014-2026)

• Dr.K.Mangayarkarasi(March 2026- till date)