A study by BiasWatchIndia reveals that only 13.5 per cent of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) faculty members across 98 Indian universities are women. The researchers found low women's representation in STEM in countries like the US and UK, but not as low as in India. In addition to this, even lower percentages of women faculty members have been recorded at highly prestigious universities like the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and Indian Institute of Technology (IITs).
The study also emphasizes the challenges that women face at STEM conferences and the substantial attrition rate they encounter as their careers advance. The report highlights the necessity for clear resources and equity in Indian science agencies and universities to address the low representation of women in STEM due to a lack of awareness, funding, and biases.
The founder-editor of the respective paper, Shruti Muralidhar mentions, "There is a general lack of awareness and understanding of and sensitivity to the problems of women and minorities in STEM." She further continued, "Underrepresentation of women at the beginning of the career ladder leads to fewer women higher up the ladder," while blaming "both explicit and implicit biases in all professional spaces that Indian women in STEM also have to navigate through."
The authors found that women's representation in engineering faculties is lowest at 9.2 per cent, while the highest in biology at 25.5 per cent, with engineering, chemistry, computer science, and physical faculties having lower proportions.
