Context:

• India’s development narrative is shifting from women’s development to women-led development, where women are seen not merely as beneficiaries of welfare schemes but as active leaders shaping the nation’s progress.
• Women’s empowerment, or Nari Shakti, is increasingly driving India’s growth, particularly in knowledge-based sectors such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), which are crucial for achieving the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
• This article highlights India’s transition from women’s development to women-led development, focusing on the growing participation of women in education, STEM fields, research, and innovation as key drivers of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

Strengthening Girls’ Education in STEM

• India has strengthened the foundation for women in science through greater access to education and improved school participation.
• The Gender Parity Index has reached 1.0 at foundational, preparatory and middle levels, and 1.1 at the secondary level, indicating equal or higher participation of girls compared to boys.
• Declining dropout rates show better student retention.
• Initiatives such as early skill development programmes and Atal Tinkering Labs provide practical exposure to technology and innovation, encouraging girls to pursue STEM fields from an early stage.

Rising Female Participation in Higher Education

• India’s higher education sector has expanded significantly, with institutions increasing from 51,534 to over 60,000 and enrolment rising from 3.42 crore to 4.46 crore since 2014–15.
• Women have played a key role in this growth, with female enrolment increasing from 1.57 crore to 2.18 crore and the Female Gross Enrolment Ratio rising from 22.9 to 30.2, indicating steady progress in women’s access to higher education.

Growing Participation of Women in STEM

• Women’s participation in STEM education in India has increased significantly, accounting for 43% of total enrolment in higher education, one of the highest shares globally.
• However, women represent 18.6% of the national R&D workforce, highlighting the need to strengthen the transition from education to research careers.
• Policy initiatives such as supernumerary seats for women in IITs and NITs have improved their representation from below 10% a decade ago to over 20% in recent years.

Rising Participation of Women in Research

• Women’s involvement in academic research in India has increased significantly.
• Postgraduate enrolment rose from 19.8 lakh in 2014–15 to 32 lakh in 2022–23, while doctoral enrolment increased from about 47,000 to over 1.12 lakh, reflecting a growth of more than 135%.
• Increasing Representation in STEM Research
  • Women accounted for over 53% of STEM fellows under the UGC NET–Junior Research Fellowship in 2024–25, with 7,293 of the 13,727 recipients pursuing doctoral research.
  • This indicates growing female participation in advanced research fields.
• Women in the National R&D Ecosystem
  • Within India’s research and development ecosystem, about 45.87% of women researchers work in government institutions, 27.62% in higher education, and 26.51% in industry, showing their expanding presence across sectors.

Policy Support and Fellowships

• Government initiatives have strengthened women’s participation in research.
• The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship has supported over 3,500 scholars, including 35% women, and aims to fund 10,000 fellowships in the next five years.
• The Anusandhan National Research Foundation further supports the expansion of India’s research ecosystem.
• Government initiatives, including the Union Budget 2026 proposal to establish safe and affordable hostels for girls pursuing STEM education, aim to encourage more women to build careers in science.
• As emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and data science grow, women’s participation will be crucial for strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem.

Women at the Core of the Viksit Bharat Vision

• As India moves towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, women are expected to play a leading role in this transformation.
• With increasing participation across sectors and emerging technologies, Nari Shakti will drive India’s knowledge economy and development journey.