About Women in Space Leadership Programme UPSC Current Affairs

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Context

A Women in Space Leadership Programme (WiSLP) was launched by the Department of Science and Technology.

Read about Women in Science: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/women-in-stem

About the Programme

WiSLP has been launched in collaboration with the British Council as part of the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI).

The initiative focuses on supporting institutions in strengthening gender-inclusive practices to foster women’s leadership in space sciences by developing a strategic leadership framework. Coventry University is the delivery partner in this initiative.

UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI)

Launched in 2006, UKIERI aims to enhance educational collaboration and research partnerships between the UK and India. It focuses on higher education leadership, research collaboration, skill development, and student mobility programs. The fourth phase of UKIERI was launched in 2023.

i-STEM (Indian Science, Technology, and Engineering Facilities Map)

i-STEM is a national portal that provides access to publicly funded research facilities in India, fostering collaboration among researchers, industries, and start-ups. It is an initiative of the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor. It is developed with the concept “One Nation One Portal” for the scientific community, aimed at “Linking Researchers and Resources”.

Key Women Scientists from India

Name	Key Contributions	Achievements
*Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi*	First Indian female to study and graduate with a degree in western medicine from the United States.	Believed to be the first Indian woman to set foot on American soil.
*Kadambini Ganguly*	First female doctor and practitioner of western medicine in South Asia.	Pioneered women in medicine in India.
*Bibha Chowdhary*	First woman high-energy physicist of India; first woman scientist at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).	Honored by the IAU with a white-yellow dwarf star named after her.
*Edavaleth Kakkat Janaki Ammal*	Significant contributions to genetics, evolution, phytogeography, and ethnobotany.	First director of the Central Botanical Laboratory, Allahabad.
*Debala Mitra*	First Indian female archaeologist who served as Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India.	Explored and excavated several Buddhist sites.
*Kamala Sohonie*	First Indian woman to receive a PhD in a scientific discipline.	Discovered the enzyme 'Cytochrome C', which aids in energy synthesis.
*Anna Mani*	First woman to join the Meteorological Department.	Pioneered women's involvement in meteorology in India.
*Kamal Ranadive*	Established India's first tissue culture research laboratory.	Developed India's tissue culture research facility at the Indian Research Centre in Mumbai.
*Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay*	Director of the Indian Statistical Institute.	Conferred the Padma Shri in 2022. First woman to hold the director position at the Indian Statistical Institute.
*Ms. Sujatha Ramdorai*	Mathematician with outstanding contributions in her field.	Awarded Padma Shri in 2023; ICTP Ramanujan Prize in 2006; Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 2004; Krieger-Nelson Prize in 2020.
*Kalpana Chawla*	First Indian-born woman in space; participated in two space shuttle missions (STS-87 and STS-107).	Posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor after her death in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster (2003).

Renowned Women Scientists

Scientist	Key Contributions	Key Achievements
*Marie Curie*	Discovered radioactivity; isolated radioactive isotopes Polonium and Radium.	First woman to win a Nobel Prize; only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different sciences (Physics, 1903; Chemistry, 1911).
*Janaki Ammal*	Conducted pioneering work in cytogenetics and plant breeding, particularly on sugarcane and indigenous plants.	First woman in India to earn a doctorate in botany; awarded Padma Shri in 1977 for her contributions to science.
*Chien-Shiung Wu*	Conducted the Wu Experiment, which disproved the conservation of parity in weak nuclear interactions (beta decay).	First female president of the American Physical Society; received the National Medal of Science and the Wolf Prize in Physics.
*Rosalind Franklin*	Contributed to the discovery of the DNA double helix structure through her X-ray diffraction images of DNA.	Her work was crucial to the discovery of DNA’s structure, for which Watson, Crick, and Wilkins won the Nobel Prize in 1962.

Status of Women Scientists

Current Statistics

Data compiled by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) shows that Women represent 16.6% of scientists in Indian science and technology organizations, a slight increase from 14% a decade ago. This slow progress indicates that government initiatives aimed at bridging the gender gap have largely been ineffective.

Structural Issues

Cultural Dominance: The Indian scientific community is predominantly composed of upper-caste, cis-gendered men, creating a culture that marginalizes women and other minority groups. Leadership positions see even fewer women, reflecting a pyramid structure where most women occupy entry-level roles.

There exists a hiring bias against women, where qualified candidates often find positions awarded to well-connected male counterparts. Instances of sexist questioning during hiring processes indicate a deeper, ingrained bias that women must navigate.

Women face high attrition rates from PhD to leadership levels due to a lack of supportive infrastructure, personal commitments, and ongoing discrimination.

The perception of science as a "masculine" domain persists, with fields like biology being considered "softer" and more acceptable for women, while fields like physics or engineering remain dominated by men.

Governmental Measures

The GATI (Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions) program aims to make institutions more inclusive but has limitations in addressing broader issues of diversity beyond just gender.

Key schemes for women in Science in India

Scheme Name	Objective	Eligibility	Benefits	Administering Body
*Women Scientist Scheme (WOS-A)*	Supports women scientists with a break in career to pursue basic research in science and technology	Women with PhD, MTech, or MSc qualifications in natural/engineering sciences	Fellowship with research grant for 3 years; networking support for reintegration into the workforce	Department of Science & Technology (DST)
*Women Scientist Scheme (WOS-B)*	Focuses on societal challenges and encourages R&D that has a direct impact on society	Women with science qualifications (PhD, MSc) with a focus on societal applications	Fellowship for 3 years, project funding for societal research, and support for technology-based solutions	DST
*Women Scientist Scheme (WOS-C)*	Provides training to women in intellectual property rights (IPR)	Women with postgraduate degrees in science, technology, or medicine	1-year training in IPR, followed by job opportunities in patent offices and research organizations	DST
*KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing)*	To bring back women scientists after a career break due to family responsibilities	Women scientists and technologists who had to take a break in their career for family reasons	Research support, mentoring, and training in various research fields	DST
*SERB Women Excellence Award*	Recognizes young women scientists below 40 for excellence in science and engineering	Women below 40 years who have received recognition from other scientific bodies (e.g., Young Scientist Award)	Fellowship and project funding for 3 years	Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
*WISER (Women Involvement in Science and Engineering Research)*	Promotes Indo-German collaborations in STEM for women scientists	Women in research positions in India or Germany	Travel grants, research grants up to INR 12 lakh per year, and per diem allowances	Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC)
*Indo-US Fellowship for Women in STEMM*	Supports Indian women scientists to pursue research in U.S. institutions	Women with PhD or equivalent in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine	Fellowship for 3–6 months in the U.S., including travel and accommodation funding	DST & Indo-U.S. Science & Technology Forum
*Vigyan Jyoti*	Encourages schoolgirls to take up STEM careers through mentoring, exposure visits, and scholarships	Schoolgirls from Class IX to XII with an interest in STEM fields, with preference to marginalized groups	Mentoring, scholarships, and STEM exposure programs	DST

International Day for Women and Girls in Science: Celebrated every year on February 11 since 2015.

Way Forward

To effectively address the underrepresentation of women in science in India, a multifaceted approach is required.

Implement Transparent Hiring Practices

Establish clear, transparent hiring criteria and processes to mitigate biases. All hiring committees should undergo training on unconscious bias to ensure fair evaluations of candidates. Develop mentorship initiatives that connect women candidates with experienced professionals to guide them through the hiring process and support their career advancement.

Create Supportive Infrastructure

Institutions should offer flexible work hours and remote working options to accommodate personal commitments, which disproportionately affect women. Provide on-campus childcare facilities to support women scientists balancing work and family responsibilities, making it easier for them to remain in their careers.

Revise existing government schemes to encompass broader diversity issues, including support for marginalized groups such as trans individuals and those from lower castes. Implement policies that reward institutions for achieving diversity and inclusion goals, encouraging a shift in institutional culture.

Foster a Culture of Inclusivity

Conduct awareness campaigns to challenge and change the prevailing perceptions of science as a masculine domain. Highlight the contributions of women and marginalized groups in science through public forums and educational programs. Require diversity and inclusion training for all faculty and staff in research institutions to promote a respectful and inclusive workplace culture.

Encourage Collaborative Research

Promote interdisciplinary research teams that include diverse members, encouraging collaboration and the integration of different perspectives and experiences in scientific inquiry. Facilitate networking events specifically for women and other marginalized groups to foster connections and collaborations in their scientific careers.

Establish Evaluation Metrics

Develop metrics to regularly assess the representation of women in various scientific fields, levels of employment, and leadership roles. Use this data to inform policy changes and institutional practices. Encourage institutions to publicly report their diversity statistics and efforts to improve inclusivity, promoting accountability and transparency.

Sources: PIB

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q:Discuss the barriers faced by women in STEM careers in India and suggest measures to enhance their participation and leadership in these fields. (250 words)

WOMEN IN SPACE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME