WOMEN IN STEM IN INDIA: PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES — A SECONDARY ANALYSIS

Despite steady improvements in girls’ participation in science at school and rising female enrolment in higher education, women remain under-represented in many STEM fields in India’s academic and professional sectors. This paper uses secondary data from national surveys, policy reports and peer-reviewed literature to map the current landscape of women in STEM in India, identify structural and sociocultural barriers that cause leakage across the pipeline, and discuss policy and institutional responses. Key findings show relatively high female participation at certain educational stages, but major attrition before and after graduation, low representation in R&D and leadership, and persistent workplace biases and care-burden penalties. Recommendations include targeted pipeline interventions, institution-level gender reforms, labour-market measures (flexible careers, return-ships), and a sustained data-driven approach to monitoring equity.