AISECT Group and SATTVA Consulting Unveil Pioneering Report on Gender Equity in STEM Education

New Delhi, 23rd February 2024: AISECT Group, in collaboration with SATTVA Consulting, proudly presented a groundbreaking report on Gender Equity in STEM education during the inaugural SKI Annual Summit held on February 23rd in New Delhi. The report explores the evolving job landscape and underscores the imperative need for digital and STEM skill-based education in India. Focusing on the gender disparity within STEM fields, the report brings attention to the challenges obstructing girls’ pursuit of STEM education, such as societal norms, cultural expectations, and bias. It sheds light on recent advancements and the substantial challenges faced by STEM education in India, emphasizing the persistence of gender barriers.

The report was unveiled at the Annual Summit organized by The Sattva Knowledge Institute, which gathered Corporate Leaders, Investors, Policy Makers, Philanthropists, Entrepreneurs, and Social Organizations to collaboratively devise solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. The summit’s central theme revolved around the urgent need to enhance STEM adoption by girls, particularly in the eight states falling behind the national average of 43% of girls in STEM by 2030.

Speaking on the significance of the report and the necessity for increased female participation in STEM Education, Dr. Siddharth Chaturvedi, Director of AISECT, remarked, “In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, the demand for digital and STEM skills has never been more critical. As digital transformation sweeps across industries, individuals equipped with these skills are better positioned to adapt, thrive, and contribute meaningfully to the modern workforce. However, achieving gender parity in STEM education remains a significant challenge due to gender-specific obstacles such as societal norms and stereotypes, particularly affecting girls in STEM fields.

With 80% of future jobs expected to require STEM skills, bridging this gender gap is crucial for labor market dynamics and ensuring inclusive and universally beneficial technological solutions by encouraging women’s participation in STEM. At AISECT Group, we believe in equal opportunity for everyone, and thus, we have collaborated with SATTVA Consulting to create an insightful report addressing this issue and spreading awareness about the need for gender parity in STEM Education in India.”

The percentage of girls graduating from science discipline from higher secondary grades from schools is just 37.6% in India. However, in states like West Bengal (10.9%), Punjab (16.2%), Haryana (13.11%), Gujarat (16.07%), Jharkhand (15.35%), Rajasthan (19.4%), and Odisha (22.35%) percentage of girls graduating from the schools from science and maths disciplines in higher secondary grades is much lower than the national average.

Despite government policy reforms and affirmative actions, the report reveals that the percentage of girls graduating from science disciplines in higher secondary grades remains low across several states, indicating persistent challenges. The joint report by AISECT Group and SATTVA Consulting aims to tackle these challenges and inspire more women to pursue STEM fields, recognizing the essential role of women in driving innovation, economic growth, and societal development in India. The report will be available in the market after a month of its launch.