MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY & EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
??????? ?? ???????????? ??? ?????? ??????? ???????? ?? ????? ?????? (???????? ??????)
(??. ???????? ????)
(a) The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has initiated ‘Knowledge Involvement Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN)’ Scheme in 2014-15 which is now renamed as ‘Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)’ to encourage women in the field of Science and Technology (S&T) through gender enabling programmes. One of the flagship programmes under WISE-KIRAN is ‘Women Scientist Scheme’ which provides opportunities to women scientists and technologists, especially those who had a break in career with its three major components namely, i) Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) for conducting research in Basic & Applied Sciences, ii) Women Scientists Scheme-B (WOS-B) for research that entail S&T interventions for societal benefit and iii) Women Scientists Scheme-C (WOS-C) to train them in the field of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Another programme, ‘Indo-US Fellowship for Women in STEMM’ (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine) provides opportunities to Indian Women Scientists, Engineers & Technologists to undertake international collaborative research in premier institutions in the USA for duration of 3-6 months. Further, institutional support is available through ‘Consolidation of University Research through Innovation and Excellence (CURIE)’ programme which aims to develop infrastructure and state-of the art research facilities in women institutions.
Under WISE-KIRAN Scheme, recently two new initiatives namely, Vigyan Jyoti and Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) have been started. Vigyan Jyoti programme aims to encourage meritorious girls to pursue career in underrepresented areas of STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) while GATI programme aims to transform institutions for more gender sensitive approach and inclusiveness with ultimate goal to improve the gender equality in S&T domain.
(b) Since the inception of KIRAN scheme in the year 2014, the year-wise fund spent in the state of Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand along with total number of beneficiaries in these states are given below:
States Karnataka Rajasthan Maharashtra Chhattisgarh Jharkhand
Year Budget (in lakh) No. of bene ficiari
es Budget (in lakh) No. of benefic iaries Budget (in lakh) No. of benefi ciaries Budg et (in lakh) No. of benefi ciaries Budg et (in lakh) No. of bene ficiari
es
2014 531.04 23 129.99 6 634.85 27 0 Nil 21.90 1
2015 236.20 9 82.56 4 228.21 10 17.44 1 22.43 1
2016 445.58 21 205.03 8 778.25 33 0 Nil 36.05 2
2017 698.84 31 223.56 9 1047.47 42 0 Nil 53.75 2
2018 828.03 32 179.18 7 1528.03 46 113.72 4 51.58 2
2019 529.32 21 129.94 5 981.43 33 84.63 3 126.86 5
2020 368.54 13 49.07 2 754.95 25 33.75 1 0.00 Nil
2021 28.44 1 471.46 4 165.66 6 55.38 1 0.00 Nil
(c) Few new activities are in implementation under WISE-KIRAN scheme.
(d) The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is implementing ‘Vigyan Jyoti’ programme to increase participation of female students at the school level in STEM fields. The programme was started in the year 2019-20 to encourage meritorious girl students of Class 9-12 to pursue higher education and career in STEM particularly in the areas where women are underrepresented. Various activities such as Science Camps, special lectures/classes, tinkering activities, counselling of students-parents, career counselling, interaction with role models, etc. are conducted in the programme. Selected girls are also getting opportunity to visit nearby scientific institutions and industries. Since the inception, more than 32000 girls have been supported in 200 districts under Vigyan Jyoti.
*****
Download PDF Files
