13/04/2026
Symposium On
Women’s Reservation Bill: Opportunities and Challenges
A symposium on “Women’s Reservation Bill: Opportunities and Challenges” was successfully organized by the Central University of Andhra Pradesh on 13th April 2026.
The session was chaired by Prof. C. Sheela Reddy, Dean, Central University of Andhra Pradesh. In her introductory remarks, the Chair highlighted the significance of the Women’s Reservation Bill in strengthening democratic inclusivity and ensuring gender justice. She then invited the Honorable Vice-Chancellor to deliver his address. The Vice-Chancellor, in his insightful speech, emphasized the indispensable role of women across all spheres of life. Through vivid real-life examples, he illustrated that women have consistently demonstrated excellence in economy, politics, science, technology, education, employment, and family institutions. He reaffirmed that women play a pivotal role in shaping society at every level from the family to the Parliament.
Following this, the Chair invited the first speaker, Dr. Venkatesh Vaditya, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Cultural Studies, English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. In his lecture, he elaborated on the historical and philosophical evolution of the concept of reservation and provided a comparative global perspective to better understand women’s reservation in India.
The second speaker, Prof. J. Rani Ratna Prabha from the University of Hyderabad, delivered an engaging and insightful talk on the trajectory of the Women’s Reservation Bill in India. She explained how the Bill has the potential to democratize legislative bodies and transform political systems through inclusive representation.
The symposium also featured an interactive question-and-answer session, which was moderated by the Chair. Participants actively engaged with the speakers, contributing to meaningful academic discussion.
Earlier, the programme commenced with Dr. Rajesh Kota, Convener of the symposium, initiating the proceedings and formally inviting the distinguished guests and participants.
A total of 170 participants, including students, research scholars, and faculty members, attended the programme.
The programme concluded with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Pranathi, who expressed gratitude to the Chair, speakers, Vice-Chancellor, participants, and organizers for making the event a success.