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Contrary to the results of a study in the US, women have made a place for themselves in World Wide Web.
Whatever men can do, women can do better. However, when it comes to using the internet, the same isn't true. Or so says a study in the US. According to it, tend to rate themselves significantly less competently when it comes to navigating the world wide web, as compared to men.
IT professors in India, however, disagree. They maintain that women are as competent as men when it comes to the use of the internet. "I feel very comfortable and confident while browsing the net. In fact, I navigate it much better than many male colleagues. And the same is true for other women too," states Veena Bansal, assistant professor, Industrial and Management Engineering at IIT-Kanpur who teaches IT as one of the subjects.
Indu Vishwakarma, a software programmer with a local web-developing agency agrees that there is no reason for women to feel incompetent about the medium. "Instead of going through a book, I often search the net for solutions to programming problems.
Even other girls in my group are equally net savvy despite not being in the IT field," she quips. Dr Rajat Moona, professor of computer science at IIT-K also shares the same view. "The observation may be true for the population at large, but not where men and women are given equal opportunities and exposure," he says.
Rakshanda Khan, actor-compere, who surfs the net on her laptop to keep herself updated about current affairs, goes as far as to say, "The fairer sex is always a step head when it comes to any cerebral activity."
But experts agree that it's more about the exposure to the medium than skills. "Using the net doesn't require any special talent," maintains Subho Ray, president of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). "In Europe, unlike the US, internet usage is divided 50:50 between men and women, which shows the involvement of women in the medium. In India, the proportion is 70:30, in favour of men. But this doesn't stem from any lack of confidence, but from the limited access that women have to the net."
However, some people also maintain that not many women initiate the use of the medium easily. "But that depends on the freedom given to them," opines Prof Veena Bansal. But the disparity between men and women is fast dissolving. As Ray points out, "Just refer to any matrimonial, job or friendship sites - you'll find almost equal representation from men and women."
Recently, a group of computer professionals reportedly struck a sexy pose for a calendar in Australia to change their geeky image and encourage women to take up technology studies. Do women have a reputation of not being tech savvy? "Yes," says Bansal, adding, "but the image is changing now, in fact, women are more efficient users of the net."
However, Ray does state that there may be some men who consider women to be technically challenged. "Women, unlike men, don't like technology just for the sake of it. They are more discerning users. In bigger cities, you may find housewives paying their utility bills online while not doing much else on the net," he explains.
Whatever men can do, women can do better. However, when it comes to using the internet, the same isn't true. Or so says a study in the US. According to it, tend to rate themselves significantly less competently when it comes to navigating the world wide web, as compared to men.
IT professors in India, however, disagree. They maintain that women are as competent as men when it comes to the use of the internet. "I feel very comfortable and confident while browsing the net. In fact, I navigate it much better than many male colleagues. And the same is true for other women too," states Veena Bansal, assistant professor, Industrial and Management Engineering at IIT-Kanpur who teaches IT as one of the subjects.
Indu Vishwakarma, a software programmer with a local web-developing agency agrees that there is no reason for women to feel incompetent about the medium. "Instead of going through a book, I often search the net for solutions to programming problems.
Even other girls in my group are equally net savvy despite not being in the IT field," she quips. Dr Rajat Moona, professor of computer science at IIT-K also shares the same view. "The observation may be true for the population at large, but not where men and women are given equal opportunities and exposure," he says.
Rakshanda Khan, actor-compere, who surfs the net on her laptop to keep herself updated about current affairs, goes as far as to say, "The fairer sex is always a step head when it comes to any cerebral activity."
But experts agree that it's more about the exposure to the medium than skills. "Using the net doesn't require any special talent," maintains Subho Ray, president of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). "In Europe, unlike the US, internet usage is divided 50:50 between men and women, which shows the involvement of women in the medium. In India, the proportion is 70:30, in favour of men. But this doesn't stem from any lack of confidence, but from the limited access that women have to the net."
However, some people also maintain that not many women initiate the use of the medium easily. "But that depends on the freedom given to them," opines Prof Veena Bansal. But the disparity between men and women is fast dissolving. As Ray points out, "Just refer to any matrimonial, job or friendship sites - you'll find almost equal representation from men and women."
Recently, a group of computer professionals reportedly struck a sexy pose for a calendar in Australia to change their geeky image and encourage women to take up technology studies. Do women have a reputation of not being tech savvy? "Yes," says Bansal, adding, "but the image is changing now, in fact, women are more efficient users of the net."
However, Ray does state that there may be some men who consider women to be technically challenged. "Women, unlike men, don't like technology just for the sake of it. They are more discerning users. In bigger cities, you may find housewives paying their utility bills online while not doing much else on the net," he explains.
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