Women in Stem Sector
About:
- When referring to the job fields in those disciplines or a curriculum that incorporated knowledge and abilities from those subjects, the organisation previously used the acronym SMET.
- It is a curriculum built on the idea of teaching students in 4 distinct subjects – science, technology, engineering, and math — using an applied, interdisciplinary approach.
- One of the nations that produces the most scientists and engineers is India, and during the past several years, STEM has seen substantial growth.
- Every citizen of India has a responsibility to cultivate a scientific temperament, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform, according to Article 51A of the Indian Constitution.
Significance:
- A strong STEM education produces next-generation innovators, problem-solvers, and critical thinkers.
- The National Science Foundation predicts that 80% of the occupations that are produced in the upcoming ten years will require some level of math and science expertise.
Women’s involvement in STEM:
- India has the largest percentage of female STEM graduates (43%), however just 14% of STEM positions there are held by women.
- In Indian STEM, the fraction of graduates who finally secure STEM jobs has always been of more concern than the overall number of female graduates.
- By offering flexible work schedules and gender-neutral compensation to increase women’s engagement in STEM, Science & Technology (S&T) might become a changemaker in society. S&T has transposed into the economic sphere and institutions are constructed in this way.
- Women will become stronger and more influential as they participate more in the tech industry, which will improve their socioeconomic standing in society.
Why There Is Such Low Participation:
- Stereotypes: Assigned stereotyped gender roles have contributed to the lack of women in STEM fields, in addition to ability deficiencies.
- Patriarchy: There are patriarchal attitudes present in employment procedures, the distribution of grants and fellowships, etc.
- Society: A lack of positive role models, social pressure to fit in, and domesticity’s constraints.
- stress: marital, childbearing, and other stressors.
- Household management responsibilities include taking care of the elderly.
- Physical Security: Maintaining physical security while travelling to work.
- Harassment includes sexual harassment as well as other sorts in the job.
Actions to Encourage Women’s Participation:
Vigyan Jyoti Scheme:
- The Department of Science & Technology launched it (DST).
- It aims to level the playing field for deserving high school girls who want to major in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in college.
- It also provides exposure for female students from rural backgrounds to support their planning of their route from school to a career in science.
GATI Plan:
- A thorough Charter and a methodology for evaluating gender equality in STEM will be developed by the Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI).
- Advancement of Knowledge in Research through Nurturing (KIRAN):
- The programme, which was introduced in 2014–15, offers female scientists the chance to advance their careers in academia and administration.
- The “Women Scientist Scheme,” one of the KIRAN programmes, offers unemployed women scientists and technicians, particularly those who had a career break, career alternatives.
Steps to Take Ahead:
- The issue needs to be resolved on two levels: the social level, which calls for sustained effort, and the institutional and policy level, where action can be taken right away.
- To address the persistent gender gap in STEM majors, there is an urgent need to invest in supporting infrastructure, motivating institutions to promote gender equity, transparency in decision-making, etc.
- However, schools must first dispel “gendered ideas of brilliance” by encouraging girls to major in STEM fields in college as well as to study science at the secondary and upper secondary levels.
- In addition to enabling women to pursue their goals, this would also advance science by allowing for diverse viewpoints.
- The number of women in STEM is rising, which is a sign that the situation is undoubtedly getting better, but there is still a long way to go. We still have a ways to go.
