Women in STEM Careers, Importance, Opportunities and Challenges

Women in STEM Careers face both opportunities and challenges in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Promoting gender equity, mentorship, and inclusive policies is vital to boost female participation and leadership in STEM.

Table of Contents

Context: As we mark World Youth Skills Day on July 15, India needs to work on eliminating the gender paradox in India’s STEM sector.

Importance of Women’s Participation in STEM Careers

Demographic Dividend: Women form nearly half of India’s population. Tapping into this talent pool is essential for sustainable growth.
Boost to GDP: According to McKinsey Global Institute, enabling 68 million more women to work could add $700 billion to India’s GDP by 2025. The World Bank estimates that a 50% female labour force participation rate could raise GDP growth by 1%.
Innovation & Diversity: Diverse teams in STEM drive better problem-solving and innovation, vital for India’s digital and technological aspirations.
Social Empowerment: Economic empowerment leads to greater decision-making power for women, impacting households, communities, and policymaking.
Aligning with National Goals: Women’s inclusion in STEM aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat, making development inclusive, equitable, and future-ready.

Challenges Faced by Women in STEM Careers

Education-Employment Disconnect: Despite high enrolment in STEM courses, limited job transitions occur due to a lack of industry readiness, networks, or supportive policies.
- Eg., while 43% of India’s STEM graduates are women—the highest among major economies—only 27% of the STEM workforce comprises women.
Workplace Gender Bias: Technical roles are often perceived as “masculine”, and workplaces remain unwelcoming or inflexible towards women’s life stages (e.g., maternity, caregiving).
Urban-Rural Divide: As per PLFS 2023–24, urban FLFPR remains low at 4%, showing formal job barriers despite rising rural participation (47.6%).
Lack of Support Systems: Mentoring, awareness, and family support are missing, especially in conservative and rural communities.
Safety and Mobility Concerns: Inadequate transport, workplace safety, and sanitation facilities deter women from entering or staying in technical roles.

Solutions & Way Forward

Policy Strengthening and Targeted Interventions: NEP 2020 integrates life skills and vocational education training.
- Union Budget 2025–26 increased the gender budget to 8% and introduced term loans, National Skill Training Institutes, and digital skilling platforms.
Industry as a Change Agent: Industries must shift from being passive recruiters to active enablers through mentoring, internships, and workplace reform.
- Partnering with educational institutions to create classroom-to-career pipelines.
Community Engagement & Behavioural Change: Initiatives like UN Women’s WeSTEM Programme engage families, promote female role models, and conduct workplace safety sessions to change mindsets.
Infrastructure & Safety Enhancements: Safe transport, flexible workspaces, and gender-sensitive policies are crucial to retain women in STEM fields.
Awareness & Mentorship: Launch national mentorship networks, industry bootcamps, and career counselling to improve confidence and visibility of opportunities.