IIM-B to create more Sonias, Sushmas, Jayas & Mayas

Institute offers crash course to aspiring women politicians; only qualification is a love for politics

The meteoric rise of astute leaders like Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Sushma Swaraj, J Jayalalithaa, Mamata Banerjee has inspired several women to enter politics. For many others who wish to enter the political arena, but are nervous about surviving in the big, bad world of politics, the Centre for Public Policy (CPP) at the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIM-B) is introducing a course exclusively for aspiring women politicians. The 40-day crash course will formally train women to handle various political and administrative roles. "With women's reservation gathering steam, the course aims to create a cadre of trained women politicians," CPP chairperson Rajeev Gowda told DNA. With representation of women in local bodies going up to 50 %, the course will equip women to handle different political scenarios and administrative challenges. "At the local level, women's reservation is already in force, and at the state and central level, it will soon come into force. Such a course will equip women to take on bigger roles in politics," said IIM-B adjunct professor Ashwin Mahesh. "The course will provide women a chance to improve their knowledge about governance." There is no eligibility criteria for those who wish to enrol for the course. "There is no particular qualification required, other than interest in politics. There is no need for of any qualification in politics anyway," said Mahesh. The course will zero in on issues women can focus on after being elected. They include governance and its administrative structure, powers of an elected representative, formulating budgets and interventions in the affairs of their constituency to bring about a positive change. In all, it will be an overview of an elected representative's duties and responsibilities. The course is scheduled to begin in a few months. "We are still working out some details. It may take a couple of months," said Gowda.