People's Democracy

First Central Party School For Women Cadre

THE first ever Central Party School for leading women cadre was held at AKG Bhavan from November 12–14, 2005. Inaugurating the school, Party general secretary, Prakash Karat, said that the classes were the first step towards implementing the direction given by the 18th Party congress for the Party to pay special attention to the recruitment of women into the Party, as well as to the ideological development of women cadre. He hoped that the first Central Party School for women would be one of the many, and that similar schools would be organised at the state, district and local levels of the Party.

A total of 102 women cadre attended the class, including 32 members of state committees, 36 district committee members, 5 local committee members and members of state fraction committees.

There were six classes held, namely (in order of the classes taken):

1. Marxist philosophy with special reference to the Indian context, taken by central committee member Ashok Dhawale

2. Political Economy by Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury

3. Marxist Perspectives on Women’s Subordination by Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat

4. History of the Communist Movement in India by former Polit Bureau member P Ramchandran

5. Updated Party Programme by Prakash Karat

6. Issues concerning Party Organisation and Mass Organisations by Polit Bureau member S Ramchandran Pillai.