Empowering Women in STEM: Government’s WISE-KIRAN Initiative
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has introduced the Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN) scheme, offering diverse opportunities for women in the Science & Technology (S&T) domain. The initiative encompasses several programs:
Women Scientists Scheme: Supports women scientists re-entering the workforce after a career break.
WISE Fellowship for PhD (WISE-PhD): Enables women to pursue doctoral research in basic and applied sciences.
WISE Post Doctoral Fellowship (WISE-PDF): Facilitates post-doctoral research in basic and applied sciences.
WISE-SCOPE: Addresses societal challenges through S&T interventions.
WIDUSHI: Supports senior women scientists in continuing their scientific careers.
Additionally, the government provides the ‘WISE Internship in IPR (WISE IPR)’ for training in Intellectual Property Rights. Another notable initiative, ‘Vigyan Jyoti,’ launched in 2020, encourages meritorious girls to pursue STEM careers.
Currently, approximately 21,600 female students from Class 9-12 across 250 districts are enrolled in Vigyan Jyoti. The program includes various activities such as counselling sessions, academic classes, role model interactions, and science camps.
Under the Vigyan Jyoti Programme, Class 12 girls receive one-year scholarships. Since its inception in 2020, scholarships totaling Rs 58.41 crore have been distributed. Notably, the distribution increased from Rs 6 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 20.91 crore in 2023-24, reflecting the program’s growing impact and support for women in STEM.
