ZCZC
BSS-08
DU-FEMALE-STUDENTS-SUCCESS (with photo)
Females dominate DU highest academic award
DHAKA, Feb 03, 2018 (BSS) – Dhaka University (DU), country’s most ancient
university, remains a glaring example of achievements and accomplishments by
women where female students have been dominating the academia for over a
decade.
Every year the faculties of DU honour their outstanding students with the
Deans Award, the university’s highest academic award, for their excellent
performance in the Bachelor exams.
For example, in the last 10 years, 398 female students (66%) of a total
599 awardees, were conferred the prestigious reward in the Faculty of
Biological Sciences.
After fulfilling various criteria, especially securing an average CGPA of
3.75 without taking any improvement exam, graduates become eligible for the
award. If we go 10 years back in 2007, a total of 71 high achievers in their
honours exams were conferred Deans Award under biological science faculty,
where 35 students were female (49%).
Changing the scenario in 2008, female students outnumbered their male
classmates by 48 to 41 in obtaining the Deans Award.
From 2009 to 2016, the percentages of female awardees were 84%, 60%, 79%,
72%, 70%, 76%, 68% and 70% respectively.
Rahima Khatun was one of the 57 female students and 24 male mates who have
been honoured with the prestigious award by the faculty on December 6, 2017
after attaining CGPA 3.86 out of 4.00 from Botany department.
“I attained my goal through my regular study, determination and proper
concentration in regular classes,” said Rahima.
On 18 October 2017, Faculty of Business Studies arranged ‘Deans Award-
2017’ event to award its 94 exceptionally brilliant students, of whom 50
graduates are female (53%).
Eminent academic of Dhaka University Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique
credited the achievement of the female students to the current government’s
continuous action and effort for women empowerment.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is a role model of thousands of girls,
directed authorities concerned to create more congenial atmosphere at
universities for female students so they can get higher education without
facing difficulties,” the former DU vice chancellor said.
Accordingly, he said, new dormitories have been built in many universities
while the initiatives are underway to have female dormitories at all
universities.
Besides, he said stipends, scholarships and grants have also been
introduced for women, encouraging them accomplish higher studies.
On 22 August 2017, 16 departments of Social Science faculty honoured their
high achieving students with Deans Award. Among the 28 awardees, 17 are
female students (61%) while in the previous year, 16 out of 29 were female
(55%).
Nowshin Jahan Etee, one of the awardees, said she got support of
scholarships and stipends in achieving success in education.
Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences conferred Deans Award on its
19 top graduates from the academic sessions from 2011 to 2014, of whom 13 are
female (68%).
“Our girls are doing extraordinary performance because of their
consciousness, motivation and also encouragement from their families. While
sometimes our boys waste their time in gossiping, our girls study and make
best use their time,” dean of the faculty Prof ASM Maksud Kamal said.
The records of the other faculties also showed that female students are
gradually going ahead. In the Faculty of Science, female students captured
55% of the award in three consecutive years since 2011.
Female students got all the four Deans Award for pharmacy faculty last
year.
“We always support, inspire and help our girls. They are skillful and also
doing well in sports and co-curricular activities,” Professor Nasreen Ahmad,
Pro-Vice Chancellor (academic) said.
Leela Naag was the first woman to be admitted to DU and earned her M.A.
degree in 1923. According to DU annual report of 1996-97, there was 6,102
female (31%), out of 19,387 students in 1997. Now, around 40% of the total 37
thousand students are female.
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