New Delhi, October 30 (IANS). FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) said that inclusion of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and providing them opportunities to advance is not only a matter of social equality but is essential for the country’s innovation, economic competitiveness and to achieve the vision of a developed India.
Poonam Sharma, National President of FLO, said, “India plays the role of a global leader in producing STEM graduates with 43 percent participation of women in the total enrollment in STEM. But this share of women pursuing STEM careers remains limited to 14 percent.”
Sharma further said, “This low participation of women is called a leaky pipeline, which represents a huge waste of human capital and a direct stumbling block to innovation. In critical research and development institutions, the number of women is only 16.6 per cent. The economic cost of this exclusion is very high.”
According to the government-recognized startup platform, increasing women’s participation in the labor force can significantly boost GDP. Promoting women entrepreneurship alone can create 150-170 million jobs by 2030.
Giving information, Sharma said that FLO recently conducted a study, which brought to light the systematic blockages that contribute to this leaky pipeline. These include factors ranging from outdated socio-cultural norms and high unpaid workloads to discrimination in the workplace.
Additionally, the study also highlights the impact of the growing startup ecosystem supported by targeted government initiatives such as Wise-Kiran and Startup India.
FLO’s main recommendations include closing the gap between educational attainment and workforce participation.
The study offers a strategic, multi-stakeholder roadmap, offering recommendations such as establishing a national mission to retain women in STEM.
–IANS
SKT/