Centre Plans ‘Vigyan Jyoti’ To Increase Female Enrolment In IITs, NITs
The scheme will award fellowship to girl students who make it to the IITs
New Delhi: The Centre has finalised a plan to increase enrolment of girl students in science and engineering disciplines.
The ‘Vigyan Jyoti’ scheme, piloted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), will also fund them take up higher studies in the top technical institutes, news agency PTI said in a report. Students who get into IITs could also be awarded fellowships.
The programme will select 100 meritorious girls from 550 districts between 2020-25 and help them develop a career in science and engineering, said Sanjiv Mishra, a scientist in DST. He said the scheme is likely to be launched in this month itself.
According to Government data, girl students comprise only 24 per cent of the pass-outs in science, engineering, technology and mathematics. In IITs, they represent only 10 per cent of the student strength.
DST secretary Ashutosh Sharma said the programme will reach out to students from class IX to XII, hold science camps for them in IITs, NITs and in labs so as to generate interest in them towards science.
“So, we need a different kind of intervention in order to boost the numbers. They (girl students) do not see the role model and leadership in these areas and all of this has to be addressed,” he told PTI.
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