Lok Sabha Question No. 145 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-19
Subject: STEM
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Aparajita Sarangi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 145 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2021

## STEM

## 145. SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the number of STEM graduates over the last 3 years separately for male and female;
- (b) whether there are more men than women in STEM;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has taken initiatives to increase the participation of women in STEM;
- (e) if so the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (f) whether,  on  a  global  platform,  India  has  more  women  in  STEM  than  other  developed countries;
- (g) if so, the details thereof;
- (h) whether the women who study STEM have been observed to discontinue pursuing STEM for higher education;
- (i) if so, the action taken thereon to incentivise continued education in STEM?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) As per All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the number of Pass-outs/Out-turn in STEM at various levels (UG, PG, M.Phil & Ph.D) for last 3 years separately for male and female is as below:

| Year          |    Male |   Female |   Total |
|---------------|---------|----------|---------|
| AISHE 2017-18 | 1248056 |  1002707 | 2250763 |
| AISHE 2018-19 | 1192611 |  1022747 | 2215358 |
| AISHE 2019-20 | 1188900 |  1056095 | 2244995 |

- (c) As  per  All  India  Survey  on  Higher  Education  (AISHE),  2019-20,  the  number  of  men enrolled in STEM are 53,52,258 as compared to the women enrolment of 40,71,533.
- (d) Yes.
- (e) Government  under  Department  of  Science  and  Technology  has  taken  several  steps  to increase  the  participation  of  women  in  STEM  for  higher  education.  This  includes implementation  of  women  exclusive  schemes  like  'Knowledge  Involvement  Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN)' to encourage women in the field of Science &  Technology.  The  'Mobility'  programme  has  been  introduced  to  address  relocation issue  of  working  Women  Scientists.  Further  'Indo-US  Fellowship  for  Women  in STEMM' (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine) was launched to provide  opportunities  to  Indian  Women  Scientists,  Engineers  &  Technologists  to undertake international collaborative research in premier institutions in  USA  for durations of 3-6 months. The 'Consolidation of University Research through Innovation and Excellence in Women Universities (CURIE)' provides support to develop research infrastructure  and  state-of  the  art  research  facilities  in  women  Universities  and  to  help enhancing women's participation in R&D activities in S&T domain. A new programme 'Vigyan  Jyoti'  for  meritorious  girl  students  of  Class  9  to  12  in  order  to  increase participation  of  women  in  STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics), especially  in  the  fields  where  women  are  underrepresented.  'Gender  Advancement  for Transforming  Institutions  (GATI)'  has  been  started  during  2019-20  which  aims  to transform institutions for more gender sensitive approach and inclusiveness with ultimate goal to improve the gender equity.
- (f) Yes.
- (g) As per the Data bank on Gender Statistics published by World Bank(https://databank.worldbank.org/source/gender-statistics) , the female share of graduates  in  STEM  at  tertiary  (%)  level  for  India  and  some  other  countries  for  last three(3) years is as below:

## Female share of graduate in STEM, tertiary (%)

| Country         | 2016   | 2017   | 2018   |
|-----------------|--------|--------|--------|
| United States   | 33.99  | ---    | ---    |
| China           | ---    | ---    | ---    |
| Japan           | ---    | ---    | ---    |
| Germany         | 27.14  | 27.56  | ---    |
| United Kingdom  | 38.10  | ---    | ---    |
| India           | 42.72  | 43.93  | 42.73  |
| France          | 31.81  | ---    | ---    |
| Italy           | 39.52  | ---    | ---    |
| Canada          | 31.43  | ---    | ---    |
| Korea, Republic | 26.36  | 25.22  | ---    |

- (h) The data on dropouts is not being collected and maintained at present in this Department as part of All India Survey on Higher Education. National Statistics Office has published data on total dropout rate in higher education (75 th round: July, 2017 to June, 2018), but not exclusively for STEM education.

- (i) Department  of  Science  and  Technology  has  launched  various  schemes  to  incentivise continued education in STEM such as:
- A. The Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Scheme to enhance rates of attachment of talented youth to undertake higher education in science intensive programmes by
- a. Providing scholarships and mentorship through Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) Programme for age-group 17-22 years.
- b. Offering 1000 fellowships every year, for  carrying out doctoral degree in both basic and applied sciences including engineering and medicine through INSPIRE Fellowship for age group 22-27 years.
- c. Offering  assured  opportunity  every  year  for  1000  post-  doctoral  researchers  in the age group of 27-32 years, through contractual and tenure track positions for 5 years in both basic and applied sciences area under INSPIRE Faculty Scheme.
- B. Women Scientists Scheme (WOS) of DST to provide opportunities to women scientists and technologists between the age group of 27-57 years who had break in their career due to family reasons and other social circumstances.

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