In a written reply to a Parliament question on January 29, 2026, the government provided updated statistics on women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). As per the All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021–22, women constitute 43% of the total enrollment in STEM disciplines at the higher education level—one of the highest rates globally. However, the Research and Development Statistics Report-2023 indicates that women account for only 18.6% of the total workforce engaged as STEM professionals in R&D activities.
Sectoral Distribution of Women in R&D
The transition from education to professional R&D shows a distinct sectoral concentration:
Government Institutions: 45.87% of women in R&D.
Higher Education Sector: 27.62% of women in R&D.
Industrial Sector: 26.51% of women in R&D.
Targeted Government Interventions
To address attrition rates caused by social or personal responsibilities, the government is implementing several schemes across the academic lifecycle:
Vigyan Jyoti: Encourages school girls (Classes 9-12) to pursue STEM through role model interactions and visits to knowledge partners like IITs and NITs.
WISE-KIRAN Initiatives: Includes programs like WISE-PhD for doctoral research, WISE-PDF for post-doctoral fellowships, and WISE-IPR for training in Intellectual Property Rights.
WIDUSHI: Supports senior women scientists nearing retirement or recently retired to continue their research careers.
Re-entry Support: The Women Scientist Scheme (WSS) specifically targets those who have had a career break due to motherhood or family responsibilities, facilitating their return to mainstream biomedical and health research.
What is the “Vigyan Jyoti” program’s role in the STEM pipeline? Vigyan Jyoti is a flagship program designed to bridge the gender gap at the school level. It provides meritorious girls from underrepresented regions with exposure to STEM fields through student-parent counseling, lab visits, and mentoring by scientists. By building confidence and providing academic support for competitive exams, the program aims to create a steady pipeline of women entering higher education and research in technology and engineering.
Policy Relevance
The 2026 Parliament update signals a move toward sustained engagement rather than just entry-level enrollment.
Addressing the “Leaky Pipeline”: While enrollment is high at 43%, the drop to 18.6% in the workforce highlights a policy need to focus on retention and re-entry mechanisms.
Institutional Support: Beyond scholarships, the focus has shifted to enabling provisions like hostel accommodation, maternity benefits, and structured mentoring to minimize attrition.
Empowering Rural Innovation: Schemes like TDUPW (Technology Development and Utilization Programme for Women) are decentralizing STEM by promoting technology adoption among rural women and Self-Help Groups.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can the government incentivize the “Industrial Sector”—which currently employs the fewest women in R&D—to adopt the enabling provisions found in government institutions?
Follow the full news here: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: WOMEN IN STEM
