In a bizzare directive from the Telangana government, only unmarried women will be eligible to pursue education in the social welfare residential women's colleges in the state.

A notification by the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS ) inviting applications for admissions into the residential degree colleges says, "Applications are invited from Women (unmarried) candidates who have secured a minimum of 40 per cent marks in intermediate and desire to appear for Entrance Test to be conducted on 16.04.2017 for admission in B.A/B.Com/B.Sc 1st Year Degree/Semester wise English Medium Courses for the Academic Year 2017-18."

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College officials claim that the directive has been issued to ensure that women are not distracted when their husbands visit college premises. However, officials say while they don't encourage admission of married women but they won't bar them if they approach college authorities. Over 4,000 women are already studying in these hostels. There are 23 residential degree colleges for women with each having an intake capacity of 280 students per year. The rule has been in place for an year.

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