29 February 2024

MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS

Q1. For science and technology to be used for sustainable development with women’s empowerment in India, there has to be a greater representation of women in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine). Examine.

GS III – Science and Technology related issues

Introduction:

• The “STEM” fields—science, technology, engineering, and medicine—are underrepresented among women, particularly in India. We hear about girls outperforming boys in exam results, yet there are very few women who pursue research as a career in later life. Consequently, a large number of our brightest minds, who demonstrated their full potential, choose not to pursue careers in research.
• India has had numerous governments since independence that have made significant progress towards empowering women. Nonetheless, a number of developmental indices indicate that further work is still needed in this area. Increasing the number of women working in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) sectors is one such area that needs development.
• India leads the world in the percentage of female STEM graduates (43%), but only employs 14% of these graduates. By contrast, Sweden employs 34% of its 35% female STEM graduates after they graduate.

Women’s Place in STEM Fields:

• Though women make up the largest percentage of STEM graduates worldwide—roughly 43%—they only hold 14% of STEM positions in India.
• In India, most female STEM graduates either choose to pursue another professional path or choose not to work at all. The issue of the “leaky pipeline” for women into STEM professions affects them everywhere.
• The lack of institutional supports during pregnancy, as well as workplace and field safety hazards, cause women to leave the industry.
• Gender prejudices are so prevalent in the STEM fields. Its culture is strongly dominated by men. Moreover, there are insufficient female role models.
• Women in these sectors are underrepresented not only because of cultural restrictions but also because of problems with access to healthcare and inadequate education.
• Nonetheless, throughout the previous 20 years, there has been an increase in the number of women scientists, according to data from the Department of Science and Technology. These are the conclusions of a report published in August 2022.
• The percentage of female researchers rose from 9% in 2015 to 18.7% in 2018.
• Women participate in the workforce at a good rate up until the post-graduate level, after which there is a decline.
• Women in natural science (22.5%), women in engineering (14.5%), and women in health (24.5%)

Causes of this gender disparity:

• There is a significant loss of national resources in science and technology when highly skilled women leave the job.
• stereotypes that girls face when taking on family care duties.
• patriarchal culture.
• Bias affects women when they choose careers.
• Women still experience the same kinds of prejudice in the workplace as they do in general.
• A recent Accenture research report claims that there is a 67 percent gender wage gap in India.
• Numerous studies have revealed that girls perform exceptionally well in maths and science-focused topics in school, but boys tend to think they can perform better, which influences their decisions to pursue higher education.
• According to an OECD examination of PISA results from 2015, the gap in maths scores between boys and girls who achieved at high levels was the equivalent of around six months of education.
• However, the gender difference in performance vanished when comparing boys and girls who expressed comparable degrees of worry and self-confidence towards mathematics; females who expressed higher levels of fear typically performed worse.

Governmental efforts made thus far to reduce the gender gap in STEM fields:

Vigyan Jyoti Scheme:

• declared in the Ministry of Science and Technology’s 2017 budget.
• The program’s goal is to connect female students in grades 9, 10, and 11 with female scientists from the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IITs).
• Its goal is to level the playing field for deserving high school girls who want to major in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in college.
• Additionally, it provides exposure for female students from rural backgrounds, aiding in the planning of their path from education to a career in science.

GATI Programme:

• A thorough charter and a methodology for evaluating gender equality in STEM fields will be created by the Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI).
• Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge, or Inspire-MANAK
• Encourage gifted young boys and girls to major in science and become researchers.

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan:

• introduced in 2014 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• Establish a connection between the rural communities and India’s top educational institutions, then use technology to help them overcome their developmental obstacles.
• Women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine can apply for an Indo-US grant to study abroad collaboratively at prestigious American universities.
• Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN) initiative projects focusing on women
• Career Advancement and Reorientation in Biotechnology (Bio-Care)

Way Ahead:

• Encourage gender parity as a clearly defined human right.
• Determine which practices impede women’s advancement in science on a structural and systemic level, and take steps to change them.
• Encourage women to take charge of their own lives so they can succeed as scientists.
• Determine possible hazards and obstacles that may prevent women from pursuing careers in science and put plans in place to remove them.
• Take action to support and advance gender equality in science and other fields by interacting with the Indian government, scientific associations, and civil society organisations.
• Replicating the ISRO Model: Chandrayaan-2, the second moon mission launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation, demonstrated the easing of social constraints placed on women through the involvement of female engineers. For this reason, STEM fields must emulate ISRO’s paradigm.
• Bringing about Behavioural Change: Social-economic problems are the root cause of subdued gender engagement, which can be resolved by implementing behavioural change. For this reason, textbooks ought to emphasise the contributions made by women in the STEM fields. This could inspire the females of tomorrow to pursue leadership roles in the STEM fields.
• Women should be encouraged to pursue STEM fields not just in advanced education but also in elementary and middle schools.
• It is necessary to raise public awareness of gender inequality and its effects, and the community should be accepting and supportive of women’s employment opportunities.
• Businesses should offer more internships to women and STEM scholarships to deserving but underprivileged girls.
• India should prioritise gender equity and inclusion in its next Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (STIP). Women have the opportunity to receive STEM education through Digital India as well.
• According to a McKinsey study paper, closing the gender gap in STEM fields may boost the world economy by $12–28 trillion. India should therefore consider gender equality to be a crucial component of its development strategy.