Participation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in India is the need of the hour as females constitute only 28 percent of the STEM workforce.
Women in STEM
The total number of women in the Indian workforce dwindled after COVID wreaked havoc across the globe. A report from the Wire states that women accounted for 19.4 percent of India’s labour force in 2021-22, as compared to 29.8 percent in the previous fiscal. The disparity is clearly visible as men constituted 80.1 percent in 2020-21, and 80.7 percent in 2021-22, clearly indicating an improvement in numbers. What’s even more disquieting is that women in STEM are chronically underrepresented in India, comprising a measly 28 percent, highlighting broad gender parity in the domain.
Girls are often discouraged by society if they want to pursue a career in the field, thereby compounding the problem. Experts have noted that this problem is both systemic and societal. The following is an overview that sheds light on the participation of women in STEM in India:
• Females generally receive fewer research grants as compared to their male counterparts. Although 33 percent of researchers are women, only 12 percent are members of national science academics.
• In the artificial intelligence industry, only one out of five professionals are female.
• When it comes to engineering, computer science and informatics, women make up only 28 percent and 40 percent of graduates respectively.
• There are very few women whose works are published in leading journals.
Why are women in STEM in India underrepresented?
• Girls in India aren’t encouraged to develop an interest in math and science. The societal belief that women should get married and focus on family instead of pursuing a career has a stark influence.
• Negative gender stereotypes like women being weak and incompetent in comparison to men or that they belong in the kitchen dents the aspirations of many females.
• Research has shown that men outperform women in terms of spatial skills which are considered essential for success in engineering and other related fields.
• It has been speculated that women are generally less satisfied in academia as compared to males and are more likely to quit.
• Traditionally, math and science are viewed as “masculine’ fields.
Female representation in STEM
Surprisingly, about 43 percent of STEM graduates in India are women, outdoing developed countries like Canada, the United States, and the UK, where women graduates constitute 31 percent, 34 percent, and 38 percent respectively.
According to the yearly report of the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), which tracks enrolment in undergraduate, master’s, and PhD courses, women choosing STEM courses in India have increased to 10,56,095 in 2019-20 from 10,02,707 in 2017-18.
Furthermore, the Scorpus database revealed that one in three research papers is authored by women across 186 fields and that there is no difference in male and female competency when it comes down to subjects like psychology, dentistry, and humanities – domains where male authors outnumber their female counterparts by two to one. Despite this, women’s representation in STEM presently stands at an abysmal 14 percent. It can be boiled down to factors like institutional gender discrimination, rigid gender roles, patriarchy, etc.
Government schemes
• The Department of Science and Technology (DST) in 2020 introduced the Vigyan Jyoti Scheme for schoolgirls. Its provisions included directives to schools for conducting lectures at regular intervals and science camps to inculcate scientific temper among female students between 9th to 12th standard.
• The government introduced Pragati through the all India Council for Technical Education – a scholarship for female students aimed at opening the doors for diploma and undergraduate courses.
• The DST further announced a pilot programme called Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) to facilitate a gender-equitable environment in higher education and research centres.
• Another initiative launched by the DST includes the Consolidation of University Research for Innovation and Excellence (CURIE) which aims at assisting the research and development facilities at women’s universities.
• To assist female researchers involved in Research and Development, the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) conceived SERB-POWER to provide financial aid in the form of grants and fellowships.
• The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) undertook the Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation Programme (BioCARe) to motivate women to become biotech researchers.
• The DST, in tandem with the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum – based in the US – formulated the Indo-U.S. Fellowship for Women in STEM.
• To provide an avenue for scientifically inclined women researchers and scientists, an initiative called Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (WEST) was launched in 2022.
Celebrating 5 inspirational Indian women scientists
While discussing the topic of women in STEM, it would be incomplete without a few honourable mentions. For that reason, let’s celebrate some female Indian scientists who add to the glory of the nation.
• Kadambini Ganguly: First female doctor in India and western medicine practitioner
• Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi: First Indian female physician and the first from India to graduate in western medicine from the United States
• Janaki Ammal: First Indian scientist to be awarded the Padma Shri in 1977, who later became the director-general of the Botanical Survey of India.
• Indira Hinduja: She developed the Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) procedure that led to the birth of India’s first GIFT baby in 1988. Hinduja is a gynecologist, obstetrician, and infertility expert.
• Tessy Thomas: Also called the ‘Missile Women’ of India, Thomas is the first female scientist in India to helm a missile mission in India. She holds the position of Director General of Aeronautical Systems and was the Project Director of Agni-IV missile in the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Conclusion
Despite the women empowerment mission picking up steam across the globe, more needs to be done to increase the number of women in STEM not only internationally, but also domestically. The Indian society and the central and state governments need to collaborate to facilitate a gender-equal ecosystem. The following are a few action steps that can increase the involvement of women in STEM:
• Empower women by providing them with a proper educational ecosystem wherein individuals are encouraged to pursue subjects that interest them.
• Provide a solid foundation early on so that women excel in STEM.
• Devise strategies and programmes to attract, recruit, and retain women in STEM.
• Facilitate a culture of inclusivity.
• The government and society should do better to protect and promote human rights.
Also Read – Women in STEM: Bridging the Gender Gap
