Lok Sabha Question No. 5517 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Gender Parity
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA

- (a) Yes, Madam.
- (b) & (c):   In the year 2014-15, Department of Science and Technology (DST) started Knowledge Involvement Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN) Scheme by bringing women-specific programmes/schemes under one umbrella to provide various career opportunities to women scientists. KIRAN is primarily aimed at bringing gender parity in Science & Technology (S&T) sector by inducting more women talent in the research & development (R&D) domain through various programs/schemes. 'Women Scientist Scheme (WOS)' of KIRAN, DST, provides career opportunities to unemployed women scientists and technologists, especially those who had a break  in  career,  for  pursuing  research  in  frontier  areas  of  Science  and  Engineering.  There  are  three  major components of Women Scientist Scheme (WOS) namely, i) Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) for conducting research  in  Basic  &  Applied  Sciences,  ii)  Women  Scientists  Scheme-B  (WOS-B)  for  projects  in  research  that encompass S&T interventions for  Societal  Benefit  and  iii)  Women  Scientists  Scheme-C  (WOS-C)  that  enables them to become Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) professional. In 2016-17, 'Mobility' component was introduced under KIRAN to address relocation issue of working Women Scientists. In 2017-18, DST also launched 'Indo-US Fellowship for Women in STEMM' (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine) under KIRAN to  provide  opportunities  to  Indian  Women  Scientists,  Engineers  &  Technologists  to  undertake  International collaborative research in premier institutions in USA for duration of 3-6 months. Further, DST has conceived a new  programme  'Vigyan  Jyoti'  during  2017-18  for  intervention  at  school  level  to  significantly  enhance participation of girls in higher education and careers in Science & Engineering and launched a Pilot initiative in 14  premier  academic  institutions  from  different  geographical  locations.  Under  this  Pilot  Project,  residential programme of 3 weeks duration is envisaged for meritorious girls studying in Class XI that encompasses various activities aimed at mentoring and motivating them to pursue higher studies and careers in science & engineering. In  addition,  Women  Scientists  &  Technologists  are  also  encouraged  to  attend  capacity  building  programmes related  to  R&D,  entrepreneurship  development,  enhancing  managerial  skills  and  leadership  under  'National Program for Training of Women Scientists & Technologists working in Government Sector' of DST. Further, institutional  support  is  also  provided  through  Consolidation  of  University  Research  through  Innovation  and Excellence in Women Universities (CURIE) Programme to facilitate & augment women's participation in R&D activities in S&T Domain. Women Technology Parks (WTPs) are promoted to extend S&T facilitation at a single platform  particularly    for  women  to  address  challenges  related  to  livelihoods,  occupational  hazards,  health, nutrition and  so on.  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.
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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5517 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28/3/2018

## GENDER PARITY

## 5517. SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ÉÊ´ÉYÉÉxÉ +ÉÉè® |ÉÉètÉÉäÉÊMÉBÉEÉÒ àÉÆjÉÉÒ be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps aimed at gender parity in Science and Technology sector by inducting more women talent in the Research and Development domain through various Programmes/Schemes;
- (b) if so, the steps taken by the Ministry to provide various career opportunities to women scientists; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES AND MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

ÉÊ´ÉYÉÉxÉ +ÉÉè® |ÉÉètÉÉäÉÊMÉBÉEÉÒ àÉÆjÉÉÒ, {Éßl´ÉÉÒ ÉÊ´ÉYÉÉxÉ àÉÆjÉÉÒ +ÉÉè® {ÉªÉÉÇ´É®hÉ, ´ÉxÉ A´ÉÆ VÉãÉ´ÉÉªÉÖ {ÉÉÊ®´ÉiÉÇxÉ àÉÆjÉÉÒ

(bÉ. c­ÉÇ ´ÉvÉÇxÉ)