Women’s access schemes
Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) promotes inclusive education and women’s empowerment through a structured framework encompassing scholarships, mentoring, and leadership programs. Its scholarship portfolio includes the Dr Ramdas Pai Merit Scholarship (up to 30% tuition waiver), the Meritorious Girl Student Scholarship for women joining MIT Manipal, and Freeship, Scholar, and Achiever Scholarships across B.Tech, B.Pharm, and allied programs (sustainability.manipal.edu). These schemes directly support women in STEM by addressing financial constraints and expanding access. In 2022–23, a significant number of female students benefitted from these initiatives, reinforcing MAHE’s data-driven approach to gender equity in higher education.
Beyond financial support, MAHE fosters long-term engagement through mentorship and leadership initiatives. Its Teacher-Guardian/Mentor-Mentee Program assigns every first-year student a faculty mentor for academic and personal guidance, maintaining a 5–10 mentees per mentor ratio (MCOPS Mentoring Program; MCODS Mentoring Cells). For faculty, the SMILE (Synergic Manipal Integrated Leadership Engagement) program—a nine-month leadership pipeline—has trained 171 participants, with 39 identified as ready for leadership roles and 23 women currently in key positions. Approximately 80% of participants reported performance improvements post-program. In addition, MAHE’s Gender Champion Awareness Workshops, International Women’s Day celebrations (Daijiworld coverage), and high-impact conferences such as the W20 Women Vice-Chancellors’ Conclave and Gender & Demography Symposium (2024) promote awareness and visibility for women in academia. In 2024, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) recognized MAHE among the “Top Academic Institutions Excelling in Women in STEM” (Manipal report)—a validation of its measurable gender access outcomes.
MAHE’s Women’s Access Scheme integrates scholarships, mentorship, leadership training, and recognition to create a sustainable pipeline for women’s empowerment in education and research. Over 25 gender-equality and leadership events held in 2023–2024 have reached over 1,200 students and faculty, driving measurable gains in women’s participation in STEM and leadership roles. This ecosystem of access and advocacy advances SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). By combining financial support, sustained mentorship, and global recognition, MAHE exemplifies how higher education can convert policy into practice—ensuring that gender equity is not aspirational but operational.