Venkaiah Naidu for bridging STEM gender divide

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that while India produces the highest percentage of women STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Management) graduates in the world — about 40 percent — their share in jobs these categories in the country is very low — 14 per cent.

Speaking at IMSc, Chennai, Naidu said that due to the government’s efforts, the number of girl students in IITs has increased from 8 percent in 2016 to nearly 20 percent now. He also lauded the Centre’s ‘Women Scientists’ programme that encourages women to take up careers in science and maths.

He said the New Education Policy (NEP-2020) sought to bridge the rigid separation between arts and sciences and that it was important to build on the idea.