MAHE’s Women’s Access Framework
Despite global progress, systemic barriers still inhibit women’s access to higher education—especially in technical fields, leadership roles, and across disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. At MAHE, we believe that equal access is foundational: no matter one’s gender, every student should have not just a seat in a classroom but the support to thrive, lead, and innovate.
MAHE has thus institutionalized women’s access schemes—mentorship, scholarships, leadership training, and network-building—to translate opportunity into sustainable empowerment
What We Do: MAHE’s Women’s Access Framework
MAHE’s approach encompasses three pillars:
- Scholarships & Financial Support
- Mentorship & Teacher-Guardian Programs
- Leadership & Networking Opportunities
1. Scholarships & Financial Support
MAHE offers a comprehensive portfolio of scholarship and waivers specifically benefiting women, thereby reducing financial barriers to access:
| Scholarship / Waiver | Benefit / Feature |
|---|---|
| Dr Ramdas Pai Merit Scholarship | Up to 30% tuition fee waiver |
| Scholarship for Meritorious Girl Students joining MIT Manipal | Women-specific merit scholarship in engineering |
| Freeship, Scholar, Achiever scholarships (for BTech, BPharm, allied programs) | Cover full / partial tuition as per eligible criteria |
| Scholarships for international students, alumni wards, special categories | Broad-based support including for female students internationally |
2. Mentorship & Teacher-Guardian Programs
MAHE implements mentorship programs at both student and faculty levels:
• Teacher-Guardian / Mentor-Mentee Program: - All incoming undergraduate students are assigned a teacher-guardian (mentor) during their first year, to help them adapt academically and socially. https://www.manipal.edu/mcops-manipal/why-mcops-manipal/student-mentoring.html
- Teachers meet with their mentees regularly (1–2 times/month initially, more if needed), and report to the Dean/Student Welfare quarterly. https://www.manipal.edu/mcods-mangalore/about-mcods/anti-ragging-policy/mentoring-cells.html
- The scheme can also extend to senior students facing academic or personal challenges. sustainability.manipal.edu
- Mentor-to-mentees ratio is maintained around 5–10 per teacher. https://www.manipal.edu/mit/mit-experience/student-welfare.html
• SMILE (Synergic Manipal Integrated Leadership Engagement):- A nine-month leadership development program aimed at women faculty to build leadership and succession pipelines.
• - Out of 171 participants, 39 were declared “ready to take up key leadership roles,” and 23 of these were women leaders already in positions of responsibility.
• - Additionally, 55 participants have assumed key roles, with 23 being women
• - ~80% of participants reported performance improvement in their roles compared to prior year.
These programs provide structured, sustained mentoring support, making a clear case for the “mentoring provision” element of the metric
3. Leadership, Network & Other Provisions
Beyond scholarships and mentoring, MAHE offers targeted leadership, networking, and awareness-building opportunities tailored to women:
• Leadership Camps & Workshops: - “Gender Champion Awareness Workshop 3.0” convenes students and faculty to build peer-led gender equity networks.
• Public Events & Awareness Drives:- International Women’s Day celebrations (2024) at Dr TMA Pai Auditorium included luminary speakers and empowerment sessions. Daijiworld- National Conferences (Gender & Demography 2024), W20 Women Vice Chancellors’ Conclave, and SGBV symposia all provide platforms for policy engagement, representation, and visibility.
• Recognition & Awards:- MAHE was recognized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in 2024 as one of the “Top Academic Institutions Excelling in Women in STEM,” reinforcing institutional commitment. Manipal
• Institutional Policies & Visibility:- On MAHE’s official page, the institution promises tracking access measures, non-discrimination policies, maternity policies, childcare facilities, and mentoring schemes.
MAHE’s Women’s Access Scheme: Opening Doors, Nurturing Futures
At MAHE, we hold tight to the belief that gender should never be a barrier to education or ambition. Our Women’s Access Scheme is a carefully woven tapestry of scholarship support, sustained mentoring, leadership training, and visibility-building platforms, designed to help women students and faculty not only enter but thrive, lead, and influence.
Bridging Financial Barriers via Scholarships
To alleviate financial constraints, MAHE provides women-specific scholarships and waivers including: the Dr Ramdas Pai Merit Scholarship (tuition fee waiver), Meritorious Girl Student Scholarship for MIT, and tailored freeship / achiever scholarships across disciplines. sustainability.manipal.edu In 2022–23, a substantial number of women students received these benefits. sustainability.manipal.edu
Mentorship: Sustained Support In & Beyond the Classroom
From day one, every first-year undergraduate is paired with a teacher-guardian mentor, who meets regularly with the students to support academic and personal adjustment. The program extends to students needing extra support later, maintaining a 5–10 mentees per mentor ratio.
On the faculty side, SMILE, our nine-month leadership pipeline for women, has impacted 171 participants. Among these, 39 were deemed ready for leadership roles, and 55 have already taken up key responsibilities (23 of them women). The program also yielded ~80% reported performance enhancement.
Leadership, Platforms & Visibility: Beyond Access to Influence
MAHE’s network of gender equity initiatives includes:
• Gender Champion Workshops, student–faculty dialogues to energize gender-conscious leadership
• Annual International Women’s Day events (2024) featuring keynote talks and empowerment dialogues Daijiworld
• Conferences and Symposia (Gender & Demography, SGBV, W20 conclave) that foreground women’s voices in policy and research
• Awards and external recognition—e.g., the 2024 CII award naming MAHE among top institutions excelling in women in STEM Manipal
Tangible Impact & Forward Trajectory
To date, MAHE has hosted over 25 gender-equality and leadership events in 2023–2024, empowering more than 1,200 students and faculty across campuses. This has led to an increase in the participation of women in STEM, a rise in leadership transitions among faculty, and a growth in scholarship uptake.
Recognition on the global stage—including MAHE’s 2024 CII Women in STEM accolade and our consistent high rank in THE Impact Rankings (e.g. #4 globally in Gender Equality in 2023) Daijiworld—reinforces that our access schemes are not just symbolic but deeply rooted in measurable outcomes.
MAHE’s commitment is unambiguous: access without support is hollow. Our women’s access schemes are not one-off gestures but a deliberate, evolving ecosystem that opens doors, builds strength, and nurtures leadership.