Women in Science and Technology: An Indian scenario

Abstract

The concept of treating women as equal to their male counterpart became a topic of political debate in Europe during the ‘age of enlightenment’ (18^th Century). The battle towards equal voting rights took approximately 100 years to win, and went until the 19^th Century. It was only around 1902-1920 that women got equal voting rights in prominent Western countries followed by others. Amidst the celebration of ‘women’s vote centenary’ throughout the world, the issue of equal rights to education and work is still waiting for the proper attention. Historically the presence of women in educational, technological and scientific fields remains mostly marginal. In this article, the current state of under-representation of women in the science and technology community is depicted, primarily highlighting the Indian scenario. It is observed that throughout India, and amongst the relatively developed countries of the world, the presence of women in highly prestigious Institutes and Universities remains negligible even in this day and age. The probable causes behind such inequality need to be analyzed, addressed and looked upon for remedial purposes.