Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject.To what extent do you agree or disagree?

This proposal, which requires universities to accept equal numbers of men and women in every subject, is well-1intentionedintended, seeking to promote fairness and gender inclusivity in higher education. However, giving men and women equal opportunities to study does not justify enforcing an identical gender split in every subject. Accordingly, I completely disagree with this proposal because it is practically problematic and potentially counterproductive.

To work towards the goal of equal numbers of women and men in 2every subjectevery single subject, two preconditions need to be fulfilled. First, each faculty must be able to achieve a gender-balanced cohort after its selection process. Second, students’ subject choices must be evenly distributed by gender. Unfortunately, neither of these conditions can be reliably met in real-world education systems.

Meeting the first precondition proves impractical. In some regions where religious or cultural norms restrict female schooling, there is an acute shortage of qualified 3femaleemale candidates for certain university degrees, let alone an 4equal gender distribution in admissionsequal gender share of admissions. Even in societies where women’s educational rights are now widely recognised, this target remains difficult to attain. This is because admissions systems, fundamentally prioritising academic merit over gender parity, cannot consistently guarantee equal gender intake. Variations in entry criteria and subject demand also skew applicant pools by gender. 5Even when assessment rules are entirely impartial, a gender-balanced final cohort cannot be reliably secured.

Even if all obstacles to meeting the first precondition are somehow overcome, the second requirement 6presents major difficultiesalso presents major difficulties. Subject preferences are shaped by a complex mix of personal interest, cultural 7socialisationsocialization, and career expectations. They therefore do not naturally fall into an even gender split. To redress long-standing structural bias in subject enrolment, 8mandatory quotas are often proposed as a direct solutioncompulsory quotas are frequently advocated as a straightforward mechanism. 9While such quotas may challenge outdated stereotypes—such as the assumption that nursing is inherently feminine and mechanical engineering masculine—any gains are short-livedThat said, such quotas can challenge outdated stereotypes, such as the assumption that nursing is inherently feminine and mechanical engineering is a male-dominated field. However, such gains are short-lived, and this policy remains counterproductive: universities may compromise admissions fairness by 10either by admitting lower-scoring applicants or by rejecting qualified candidates purely on the grounds of gender, while potentially forcing students into subjects they would not otherwise chooseeither admitting lower-scoring applicants or rejecting qualified candidates purely on the grounds of gender, and students may be forced into subjects they would not otherwise choose. Such measures, in turn, undermine the very educational equality they aim to deliver. An alternative is for universities to run pre-university outreach programmes. 11Such initiatives encourage prospective students to explore fields traditionally dominated by one gender, thereby mitigating biased perceptionsThese encourage prospective students to explore fields traditionally dominated by one gender and thereby mitigate biased perceptions and 12narrowdiminish gender disparities across disciplines.

In summary, this mandatory parity policy applied across every subject remains both unrealistic and counterproductive, even though its goal of fairer higher education is admirable. Where educational disadvantage runs deep, targeted affirmative action can support vulnerable learners by expanding educational access. True gender equity rests on inclusive multi-stakeholder support and merit-based selection rather than rigid enrolment quotas.