Women's Day cheer: IIT Kgp sets up creche for women teachers

The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, has set up a creche within its campus to ensure that kids are looked after even when their mothers are busy with teaching and research, an official said on Monday.

"In 2013, when our current director Partha Pratim Chakrabarti joined office, he had a meeting with all the female faculty members. It was there that this idea of having a creche was mooted," Chairperson of the creche management committee Sanghamitra Basu said in a statement.

"The final proposal was submitted in 2015 and it took almost a year to make preparations to start the creche-day care centre. Finally, now we have the facility up and running," said Basu, who is also faculty member of Architecture and Regional Planning department.

A bungalow inside the campus has been renovated and remodelled into a creche. Mongrace Montessori House from Kolkata is running the facility, which is equipped to take care of children aged between six months and 10 years.

The fully air-conditioned facility has all necessary equipment -- a play area, toys, cots, activity area and even a computer lab. It currently takes care of 53 children. Opening at 7.30 a.m., the facility remains operational for 12 hours.

"We have ensured that the facility has the recommended teacher-student and teacher-caregiver ratio. And the fee too is competitive ranging between Rs 1,200 and Rs 3,200 per month apart from one-time charges," Basu added.