30/11/2020 - S & T

KEY POINT

GATI (Gender Advancement through Transforming Institutions)

·      India is ranked 108 out of 149 countries in the 2018 Global Gender Gap report. According to DST figures, in 2015-16, the share of women involved in scientific research and development was 14.71%  after it had actually increased from 13% in 2000-2001 to 29% in 2014-15.

·      The DST has also found that women are either not promoted, or very often drop out mid-career to attend to their families. To get as many institutions as possible to sign up, the DST will need to manoeuvre around government red tape as most universities, barring the IITs and NITs, are run and funded by the government as well.

·      This means that these institutions don’t have direct control over institutional policies, recruitment and promotions. The DST has tied up with National Assessment and Accreditation Council, under the UGC, aiming to push gender equity through them.

·      The DST plans to run intensive gender sensitisation programmes, especially for the top leadership of institutions, and work within existing rules such as pushing for women members on selection committees during recruitment processes.

·      In the future, the DST is likely to consider policy changes such as those brought about in the UK providing financial incentives through grants to institutes.

·      The British Council is assisting the DST and will facilitate collaboration between selected institutions under GATI with Athena SWAN-accredited institutions in the UK, with each institute here having a partner institute in the UK for guidance.

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