INTRODUCTION

UGC (University Grants Commission) sponsored, Centre For Women’s Studies (CWS) to our college during the academic year 2009-2010. One year certificate course in women’s studies has been offered to the undergraduate students by the Home science faculty under the dynamic leadership and guidance of our former Principal Dr.Sr.Thresia Cherian. Commissionerate of Collegiate Education of Andhra Pradesh (CCE) made it mandatory to start Women Empowerment Cell(WEC) by 31st December 2011 in all the Aided and Government colleges to empower students through activities organized by the CWS. Before the UGC could sponsor, Centre For Women’s Studies (CWS) in our college dates back to 1987, the year our college was given the Autonomous status.  Every  academic year,  an Orientation followed by the Inaugural Programme is organized to the  student body of the college, in order to induct student volunteers to Women Empowerment Cell (WEC). The students are given an exposure to a wide range of activities which are of personality development and entrepreneurship oriented.  Services are also extended to empower the young women faculty and the under privileged women of the society through the courses offered and activities conducted by the Centre For Women's Studies under the dynamic leadership and guidance of Principal Dr.Sr. P.Mercy. In order to conduct the activities in a systematic way two committees have been formulated to work in cohesion namely Advisory Committee & Action Committee.The inducted students of the Women Empowerment Cell are divided into Eight groups. Each group is motivated to choose the name of a prominent woman leader like Mother Theresa, Durgabai Deshmukh, Kalpana Chawla, Helen Keller, Latha Mangeshkar, Marie Curie, Indra Nooyi, Saina Nehwal, primarily to gain inspiration from these prominent leaders belonging to different fields. During the inaugural session the group leaders are given the responsibility to do the needful throughout the academic year in initiating, motivating, guiding and directing the entire student body to involve in the activities organized and conducted by the women empowerment cell and thereby blossom into fully empowered individuals by the end of the academic year.