[Answered] World Youth Skills Day highlights women’s underrepresentation in STEM careers. Examine the socio-economic and institutional barriers preventing industry from leveraging this talent pool, hindering India’s inclusive development.

Introduction

Despite India producing the highest proportion of female STEM graduates globally, women remain underrepresented in technical careers. This mismatch reflects deep-rooted socio-economic and institutional barriers limiting inclusive, gender-equitable growth.

The Gender Paradox in STEM Education and Employment

1. High female STEM graduates: As per All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22, women constitute 43% of STEM graduates, the highest among major economies.
2. Low workforce participation: However, only 27% of India’s STEM workforce comprises women (UNESCO, 2021).
3. This mismatch underlines a persistent education-employment disconnect, especially in science, engineering, and tech sectors.

Socio-Economic Barriers Hindering Women’s STEM Careers

1. Rigid gender roles: Societal expectations often restrict women’s choices. Technical fields like mechanical engineering or coding are seen as “masculine,” discouraging female participation.
2. Domestic responsibilities: Childbirth, caregiving, and marriage-related transitions disproportionately affect women’s career continuity, especially in demanding STEM roles.
3. Urban-rural divide: Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) is 47.6% in rural areas vs. 25.4% in urban India (PLFS 2023–24), reflecting limited formal job access.
4. Safety concerns: Fear of harassment and lack of secure work environments in industrial and fieldwork roles deter women from entering or continuing in STEM careers.

Institutional Gaps in Industry and Education Linkages

1. Lack of industry-academia coordination: Institutions often impart generic skills, disconnected from industry needs, especially for emerging tech like AI, data science, and robotics.
2. Inadequate mentoring and internships: Limited exposure to workplace cultures or role models prevents women from visualizing themselves in leadership roles within STEM domains.
3. Unwelcoming workplaces: World Bank studies highlight how gender bias, lack of pay equity, and career stagnation lead women to exit STEM jobs despite being qualified.

Policy Interventions and Government Efforts

1. NEP 2020 promotes experiential learning and inclusion in STEM; Skill India and PM Vishwakarma Yojana push technical training.
2. Gender Budget 2025–26 allocation: ₹4.49 lakh crore (8.8% of total budget), aimed at women-led development.
3. Union Budget initiatives: Term loans for women entrepreneurs, new National Skill Training Institutes for technical upskilling.

Private Sector Role: Emerging Good Practices

1. UN Women’s WeSTEM Programme: Run in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat with the Micron Foundation, it links technical training with safety, community awareness, and career pathways.
2. Corporate mentoring and role models: Firms are creating inclusive HR policies, mentorship networks, and maternity-career re-entry programmes.
3. Yet, such models are not yet mainstream, and impact remains limited without broader industry adoption.

The Economic Case for Inclusion

1. McKinsey Global Institute: Closing the gender gap could add $700 billion to India’s GDP by 2025.
2. World Bank: Achieving 50% female workforce participation could raise GDP growth by 1 percentage point annually.
3. Investing in women in STEM is not just moral—it is economic necessity.

Conclusion

To harness its demographic dividend, India must dismantle the barriers keeping women out of STEM careers. Only a gender-inclusive, industry-driven approach can unlock full economic potential and equitable growth.