In News:

On February 11, 2025, to mark the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, UNESCO, with support from Canada’s International Development Centre (IDRC), launched the global campaign titled “Imagine a World with More Women in Science.”

Campaign Highlights

• Objective: Promote gender equality in science and innovation by encouraging the active participation and leadership of women in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine).
• Social Media Drive: The campaign uses the hashtag #EveryVoiceInScience to amplify diverse voices and encourage global engagement.
• Focus: Emphasizes the real-world impact of gender disparities in science, including missed innovations, biased artificial intelligence, and inequitable scientific opportunities.

Background

• The UN General Assembly (UNGA) declared February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in 2015 to foster female participation in scientific research and innovation globally.

Current Status of Women in Science

Global Trends

• Representation: Women comprise only one-third of the global scientific workforce.
• Leadership Gap: Merely 10% of STEM leadership positions are held by women.

India-Specific Data

• STEMM Enrolment: Women account for 43% of enrolment in STEMM disciplines.
• Women Scientists: Only 18.6% of scientists in India are women.
• R&D Projects: About 25% of R&D projects are led by women researchers.

Challenges Faced by Women in Science

Challenge                                            Description

Restrictive Social Norms         Traditional gender roles hinder women’s

                                                       scientific pursuits.

Lack of Role Models                      Few visible female leaders discourage young women from

                                                       aspiring to scientific careers.

Workplace Inequality                 Gender biases, hostile work environments, and lack of inclusive

                                                       policies create barriers.

Educational Gaps                          Gender-biased teaching content and insufficient support systems

                                                       limit girls’ access to science education.

Recommended Measures

Dismantle Gender Stereotypes

• Remove gender biases from teaching and learning materials.
• Include contributions of female scientists in textbooks with visuals.
• Promote equitable representation of women in boards, panels, and decision-making bodies.

Enhance Visibility of Women Role Models

• Highlight discoveries by female scientists.
• Increase media and curriculum exposure to successful women in science.

Open Educational Pathways

• Promote inclusive teaching practices and gender-neutral curricula.
• Encourage CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives to support girls in science education.

Create Inclusive Work Environments

• Enforce policies for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Take strong action against gender-based violence, including sexism and harassment in the workplace.
• Advance women into leadership roles in scientific institutions.

In News:

The SwavalambiniProgramme, launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in collaboration with NITI Aayog, is a pioneering initiative aimed at empowering women in the Northeast.

This programme targets female students in select Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram, providing them with an entrepreneurial mindset, essential resources, and ongoing mentorship to ensure their success in entrepreneurial ventures.

Programme Structure and Implementation

The programme follows a structured, stage-wise entrepreneurial process to guide participants through the various phases of business creation, from awareness to development, mentorship, and funding. It includes the following key components:

• Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP): Introduces 600 female students to entrepreneurship as a viable career option. The programme involves a 2-day session covering foundational entrepreneurial concepts and opportunities.
• Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP): This intensive 40-hour training is offered to 300 selected students, covering crucial aspects of business, including:
  • Business training and skilling
  • Access to finance and market linkages
  • Compliance and legal support
  • Networking opportunities
• Mentorship: After completing the training, participants receive six months of mentorship to help them translate their ideas into sustainable business ventures.
• Faculty Development Programme (FDP): A 5-day FDP will upskill faculty members in HEIs, enabling them to effectively mentor students in entrepreneurship. The training focuses on industry insights, business incubation strategies, and coaching techniques.
• Award to Rewards Initiative: Successful ventures will be recognized and awarded, inspiring others and fostering a culture of women-led enterprises.

Expected Outcomes and Impact

• The SwavalambiniProgramme aims to promote entrepreneurship among women, with an expectation that 10% of EDP trainees will successfully launch their businesses.
• It strives to establish a clear framework for nurturing and scaling women-led enterprises in India.
• The initiative contributes to economic transformation by making entrepreneurship a viable career path for women, particularly in the Northeast, a region brimming with untapped entrepreneurial potential.

Alignment with National Policies

The SwavalambiniProgramme aligns with several national initiatives and policies aimed at promoting women entrepreneurship:

• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: The programme complements the NEP’s vision by integrating skill development, industry collaboration, and entrepreneurship-driven education within HEIs.
• Women Entrepreneurship Schemes: It strengthens existing initiatives like Start-Up India, Stand-Up India, PM Mudra Yojana, and the Women Entrepreneurship Platform, providing financial and mentorship support to emerging women entrepreneurs.
• Union Budget 2025: The ?10,000 crore start-up fund and the extension of the 100% tax exemption on start-up profits for five years in the Union Budget 2025 offer crucial financial backing for women-led enterprises.

Launch and Regional Focus

The programme was officially launched across nine colleges and universities in the Northeast, including Gauhati University, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Mizoram University, and others.

In News:

• The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) launched the third phase of the Amazon Future Engineer Program in 50 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS).
• Schools involved are spread across Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, and Tripura.

Program Focus Areas:

• Emerging Technologies: The third phase introduces tribal students to key areas like:
  • Blockchain technology
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Coding and block programming
• The program is designed to equip students with skills in computer science fundamentals.

Teacher Training:

• A four-day in-person training workshop for teachers was conducted to empower them with the skills necessary to teach emerging technologies effectively.
• Teachers also participated in the EMRS Coders Expo, showcasing top student coding projects from the previous academic year.

Target Audience:

• Students: The program targets students from grades 6 to 9. Class 10 students will participate in project-based virtual sessions aligned with the CBSE AI Skills Curriculum.
• The goal is to enhance students' understanding of computer science and technology and prepare them for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) careers.

Program Expansion:

• Future Plans: The program will be rolled out in the next phase to cover a total of 410 EMRSs across India.
• Impact: Over 7,000 students in grades 6 to 8 have already benefited from the program’s introduction to computer science and block programming.

Key Goals of the Program:

• Empower Tribal Students: Provide tribal students with modern technological skills to prepare them for future STEM careers.
• Capacity Building: Equip both teachers and students with the knowledge and skills to engage with emerging technologies.
• Fostering Technological Literacy: The initiative aims to foster technological literacy and modernize education in tribal areas.

Recognition:

• During the event, Top 3 Student Coding Projects were felicitated for their creativity and innovation.
• The Top 3 IT Teachers were also recognized for their dedication in guiding students through the program.

Partnership with Amazon:

• The program is a collaboration between NESTS and Amazon, showcasing a joint effort to improve educational access and technological skill development among tribal students.

Why is it in the News?

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, being the Nodal Department for the welfare of senior citizens, develops and implements programmes and policies for these groups in close collaboration with State Governments, Non-Governmental Organisations and civil society.

About the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY):

• It is a Central Sector Scheme to improve the quality of life of the Senior Citizens.
• The project is implemented by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Aims and Objectives:

• The main objective of the Scheme is to improve the quality of life of Senior Citizens by providing basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and entertainment opportunities and by encouraging productive and active ageing through providing support for capacity building of State/ UT Governments/Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)/Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) / local bodies and the community at large.

The components of the AVYAY Scheme are as under:-

• • Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC)
  • State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC)
  • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
  • Elderline – National Helpline for Senior Citizens
  • Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE)
  • Geriatric Caregivers Training

Components of the AVYAY Scheme:

• Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC): Grant aid is provided to Non-Governmental/ Voluntary Organizations for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens' Homes (old age homes), continuous care homes, etc.
  • Facilities like shelter, nutrition, medicare and entertainment are provided free of cost to indigent senior citizens.
• State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC): Grant in aid is released to States/ UTs for the creation of a pool of trained Geriatric Caregivers for senior citizens, for carrying a special drive for Cataract Surgeries for Senior Citizens and State Specific Activities for the welfare of senior citizens, especially who are indigent in the States/UTs.
• Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): To provide for senior citizens, suffering from any age-related disability/infirmity such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth and loco-motor disabilities.
  • The eligible senior citizens under this component are those who are in the BPL Category or have monthly income up to Rs.15000/.
  • Generic and non-generic devices are distributed to the senior citizens through the camps.
• Elderline: National Helpline for Senior Citizens (14567): The Ministry has set up the National Helpline for Senior Citizens to provide free information, Guidance, Emotional Support and field intervention in cases of abuse and rescues.
• Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE): To promote out-of-the-box and innovative solutions for commonly faced problems, innovative start-ups are identified and encouraged to develop products, processes and services for the welfare of the elderly under this initiative.
  • The initiative is implemented through IFCI Venture Capital Funds Ltd. (Investment Manager).
• Geriatric Caregivers Training: To bridge the gap in supply and increasing demand in the field of geriatric caregivers and also to create a cadre of professional caregivers in the field of geriatrics.
  • The component is implemented through the National Institute of Social Defence and at present 3,180 geriatric caregivers have been trained.