India stands at a defining moment of her development journey with the narrative shifting decisively — from women’s development to women-led development. Women are no longer viewed as beneficiaries of welfare policies but as active leaders, shaping the nation’s future.Nari shakti is fuelling the country’s progress, especially in knowledge-driven sectors. As India advances towards realising the vision of a Viksit Bharat, one of the most significant shifts underway is the growing presence of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) — fields that will define the knowledge economy of the future.AdvertisementBuilding the FoundationsThe journey of women in science begins in classrooms. Over the past decade, India has achieved gender parity index with gross enrolment reaching 1.0 at the foundational, preparatory, middle, and 1.1 at the secondary level, indicating that girls’ participation now equals and, in some segments, exceeds that of boys. Dropout rates have declined across most school levels, showing improved student retention.Building on a solid foundation of infrastructure and access, reforms like early introduction of “skilling” and initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs provide students with practical exposure to emerging skills and technologies, ensuring a stronger foundation for girls to explore STEM from an early age.Expanding Opportunities in Higher EducationIndia’s higher education ecosystem has expanded significantly in both institutional capacity and student participation. AISHE data shows expansion in higher education, with institutions increasing from 51,534 to over 60,000 and enrolment from 3.42 crore to 4.46 crore since 2014–15. Women have been central to this expansion, with female enrolment rising from 1.57 crore to 2.18 crore and Female GER improving from 22.9 to 30.2, marking steady progress.AdvertisementWomen in STEM EducationWomen’s participation in STEM education in India has grown steadily, with now 43 per cent of total enrolment at the higher education level — one of the highest proportions of women STEM graduates globally. As per the Research and Development Statistics Report 2023, women account for 18.6 per cent of the national R&D workforce, and targeted initiatives are increasingly focused on strengthening the pipeline from education to research careers. An exemplary policy intervention is the introduction of supernumerary seats for women in the IITs and NITs improved their share from less than 10 per cent a decade ago to more than 20 per cent in recent years.Women in ResearchWomen’s participation in academic research has witnessed an upward trend, with enrolment in postgraduate programmes increasing from 19.8 lakh in 2014–15 to 32 lakhs in 2022–23, while doctoral enrolment rose from around 47,000 to more than 1.12 lakh, demonstrating a growth of over 135 per cent.The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship has already supported over 3,500 scholars, including 35 per cent women, and aims to support 10,000 fellowships in the next five years. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation complements these efforts while expanding India’s research ecosystem.Participation trends also reflect that women accounted for over 53 per cent of STEM fellows under the UGC NET–Junior Research Fellowship during 2024–25, with 7,293 among 13,727 fellowship recipients pursuing doctoral research.With emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology and data science shaping the future of the global economy, the growing presence of women in STEM will play a critical role in India’s innovation ecosystem. The trend is already discernible. Within the national R&D ecosystem, 45.87 per cent of women researchers are employed in government institutions, followed by 27.62 per cent in higher education and 26.51 per cent in industry.Also Read | On Women’s Day, let’s rethink our vocabulary of praiseThe Union Budget 2026 announced provisions to establish safe and affordable hostel facilities for girls across every district to pursue STEM education, supported by other government programmes that encourage girls and women to build careers in science and research.you may likeAs Prime Minister Narendra Modi aptly said, “Today, the country’s thinking is not that women should be empowered through science, but that science should also be empowered with the participation of women.”Women and the Viksit Bharat VisionAs India advances towards the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, women will be at the forefront of this transformation. With growing participation in diverse fields and expanding opportunities in emerging technologies, India’s women are poised to become leaders of the knowledge economy. The Viksit Bharat journey will indeed be powered by nari shakti.The writer is Union minister of education. Views are personal