Lok Sabha Question No. 974 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-07
Subject: Women Science Congress
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sudheer Gupta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No.974 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07/02/2020

## WOMEN SCIENCE CONGRESS

974. SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY वान और ौयोगक मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the 9th Women Science Congress (WSC) as a part of Indian Science Congress, recently organized by the Government in the Bengaluru City;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the main theme of the WSC;
- (c) the number of delegates who participated and issues deliberated in the said WSC;
- (d) the outcome of the issues deliberated and the achievement made through organizing such WSC;
- (e) whether  the  Department  of  Science  and  Technology  has  also  started  any  special schemes  for  women  to  bring  gender  parity  in  the  field  of  science  and  technology  through gender mainstreaming and if so, the details thereof, scheme-wise; and
- (f) whether the Government proposes to organize  more such  Congress/Seminars across the  country  in  near  future  to  encourage  women  to  participate  in  the  field  of  Science  and Technology and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

वाय और परवार कयाण मंी ; वान और ौयोगक मंी ; और पृ वी वान मंी

(डॉ. हष वधन)

- (a)  &  (b):  Yes  Sir. 9th  Women's  Science  Congress  (WSC)  was  organized  as  a  part  of 107 th Indian Science Congress at University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru during 05-06 January, 2020. The main theme of 9 th Women Science Congress was 'Women in Science and Technology for Sustainable Development'.
- (c)  &  (d):    In  the  9 th Women  Science  Congress,  1635  delegates  from  diversified  fields  of science and technology participated. Various issues including nutritional challenges of women and  children,  agricultural  waste  utilization,  promoting  women  in  science,  challenges  of

climate  change,  Fulbright fellowship opportunities, biodiversity and biocontrol, bioresource conservation, rural women empowerment, challenges for women in non-traditional areas etc. were deliberated in the WSC.  Women Science Congress brought many women scientists to forefront  by  enhancing  their  visibility.  It  served  as  a  platform  to  women  participants  to interact and exchange ideas not only on various fields of science and technology but also on social  issues.  It  showcased  and  recognized  work  of  women  scientists  and  leaders  from academic institutions, industries, administration etc. and their role in progress of society. (e) 'Women Scientist Scheme' under KIRAN is a flagship programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) that provides career opportunities including fellowships 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 namely, i) Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) for conducting research in Basic & Applied Sciences, ii) Women Scientists Scheme-B (WOS-B) for  projects  that  entail  S&T  interventions  for  Societal  Benefit  and  iii)  Women  Scientists Scheme-C  (WOS-C)  that  enables  them  to  become  Intellectual  Property  Rights  (IPR) professional.

(f) The  Department  of  Science  &  Technology  supports  Women  Science  Congress  every year  as  a  part  of  Indian  Science  Congress.  The  DST  also  supports  conferences/seminars related to Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) whenever an  appropriate  proposal  is  received,  for  example,  'Women  in  Physics'  Conference  at University of Hyderabad was supported by the Department. Further, Women Conclave under India International Science Festival (IISF) at Kolkata was also supported by DST in addition to  Women  Conclave  on  International  Women's  Day  at  Jawaharlal  Nehru  University,  New Delhi.

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