Women in science

Women in science

Subject : Science and Technology

• Department of Science and Technology (DST) is implementing a dedicated scheme ‘Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)’ to ensure participation of women in the field of Science and Technology (S&T) through various gender enabling programmes.
• ‘Women Scientists Scheme (WOS)’ under WISE-KIRAN provides various opportunities to women scientists and technologists, especially those who had break in their career to pursue research.
• Under this scheme, women scientists are being encouraged to pursue research in frontier areas of science and engineering, on problems of societal relevance and to take up S&T-based internship followed by self-employment
• This initiative primarily aimed at providing opportunities to women scientists and technologists between the age group of 27-57 years who had a break in their careerand not having regular employment, to explore possibility of re-entry into the profession..
• Following three categories of fellowships, with research grants, are available for India citizen:
• Women Scientist Scheme-A(WOS-A): Research in Basic/Applied Science
• Women Scientist Scheme-B (WOS-B): S&T interventions for Societal Benefit
• Women Scientist Scheme-C (WOS-C): Internship in Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for the Self-Employment.
• Further, Indo-US Fellowship for Women in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine) encourages women scientists and technologists to undertake international collaborative research in premier institutions in USA. In addition to fellowship programmes,
• DST also provides support for development of research infrastructure and creation of state-of-the-art research laboratories under ‘Consolidation of University Research through Innovation and Excellence (CURIE) Programme’ in women institutions to enhance women’s participation in S&T domain. DST has also started a new programme “Vigyan Jyoti” for meritorious girl students of Class 9-12 to encourage them to pursue education and career in science and technology particularly in the areas where women are underrepresented.
• Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI)aims to transform institutions for more gender sensitive approach and inclusiveness with ultimate goal to improve the gender equity in S&T.
• “SERB-POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research)” scheme of Science and Engineering Research Board of DST aims to address lower participation of women scientists in research activities and to mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering. In addition to this, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is also implementing ‘Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation Programme (BioCARe)’ to enhance the participation of Women Scientists in Biotechnology research and also instituted Janaki Ammal National Women Bioscientist Awards to recognize the contributions of senior and young women scientists in the country who are working in the areas of Biology and Biotechnology. Further, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) is giving 5 years’ relaxation in upper age limit to women candidates to be eligible for award of Fellowships/Associateships to pursue doctoral and postdoctoral research to promote women in science & technology. Moreover, Ministry of Earth Sciences has initiated a special award called “National Award for Woman Scientist” since 2018 which is being conferred to one-woman scientist each year.