Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, mentioned that the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is running the ‘Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)’ scheme to encourage women’s involvement in STEM fields, in response to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha today.
According to the written reply, the Minister enlisted various steps taken by government in detail-
Fellowship Programmes to Support Women in Research
- WISE-PhD Fellowship: Supports women in pursuing research in basic and applied sciences.
- WISE-Post Doctoral Fellowship (WISE-PDF) & WISE-SCOPE: Encourages women to pursue postdoctoral research.
- WIDUSHI Programme: Helps senior women scientists, including retired and unemployed professionals, continue their research careers.
WISE-IPR: Training Women in Intellectual Property Rights
The WISE Internship in IPR (WISE-IPR) offers a one-year on-the-job training in Intellectual Property Rights for women.
Vigyan Jyoti: Inspiring Young Girls to Join STEM
The Vigyan Jyoti programme mentors’ meritorious girls in Class IX-XII, encouraging them to pursue higher education and careers in STEM fields where female participation is low.
BioCARe Fellowship: Empowering Women in Biotechnology
The BioCARe Fellowship by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) supports women scientists in biotechnology and allied fields, helping them establish a strong research career.
NIDHI: Supporting Women-Led Startups in Technology
The National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) provides women entrepreneurs with:
- Capacity building, incubation facilities, mentorship, and early-stage funding.
- NIDHI-Seed Support Program (NIDHI-SSP): Early-stage seed funding for startups, including women-led ventures.
Technology Business Incubators in Women’s Universities
DST has established Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) in:
- Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW), Delhi
- Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV), Tirupati
Additionally, an Inclusive Technology Business Incubator (iTBI) has been set up at Delhi Technological University (DTU), Delhi, focusing on gender, caste, and geographical inclusivity in entrepreneurship.
GATI: Driving Gender Equality in Research Institutions
The Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) programme under WISE-KIRAN promotes gender-sensitive policies in research institutions to increase women’s representation in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine).
Women Scientist Scheme (WOS): Reviving Careers and Driving Research
- WOS-A: Supports women returning to research in basic and applied sciences.
- WOS-B: Enables women scientists to provide S&T solutions to societal challenges.
- WOS-C: Trains women in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), with 523 women supported in the last 10 years, of whom 40% are now registered Patent Agents.
Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted that 2076 women scientists have benefited under WOS-A, with 40% completing PhDs and publishing 5000+ research papers.
“These initiatives collectively empower women to excel in STEM fields, research, and entrepreneurship, creating a more inclusive scientific ecosystem in India”, says Dr. Singh