Topic 1: Women in Field of Science and Technology in India

• According to the Indian Academy of Sciences statistics, there are around 14% of India’s working scientists are women; it is also noted that only 15% of faculty members in various research institutes across the country are women.
• In the last 65 years, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science & Technology have been awarded to 571 scientists between 1958 and 2023. Among them only 20 women scientists have received India’s most prestigious science award for the first time in 1961 and the last in 2020.

What makes science and technology not suitable for women compared to male counterparts?

• Explicit and implicit biases against women in science are observed. It is believed by people that men are more suited to the subject, while women are perceived as innately uninterested. The Matilda effect illustrates the exodus of women from science as they continue to be under-appreciated for their achievements, enduring discrimination in perks, promotions, and opportunities.

• Societal expectations of family and childcare from a woman are said to make science a matter of gender, compelling every woman scientist to constantly perform her gender at the cost of due recognition.
• Patriarchal Mindset: Institutional apathy to poor working conditions, from sexual harassment to carrying the twin burden of home and the workplace, from a lack of representation to deeply entrenched patriarchy. It is known that Nobel laureate CV Raman initially dismissed the research aspirations of Kamala Sohonie, one of India’s first female chemists, on grounds of her gender.

What is the future for women in field of science and technology in India?

• According to recent data from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), it was shown that women comprised 28% of participants in extramural Research and Development (R&D) projects in 2018-19, an increase from 13% in 2000-01. The proportion of women primary investigators in R&D increased more than four times — from 232 in 2000-01 to 941 in 2016-17. The proportion of women researchers was observed to have risen from 13.9% in 2015 to 18.7% in 2018.

• As per recent budget speech of Finance Minister of India, female enrollment in higher education has gone up by twenty-eight per cent in ten years. In STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) courses, girls and women constitute forty-three per cent of enrollment. One of the highest in the world. All these measures reflect in the increasing participation of women in the workforce.

What factors have contributed for recent spike in women’s enrolment in STEM courses?

• Several factors contribute to this positive trend. Firstly, there is a growing recognition of the importance of gender diversity in scientific research and innovation. Many institutions and organizations are actively working to create inclusive environments that encourage and support women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
• Additionally, initiatives such as scholarships, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities are helping to empower women scientists and researchers. These programs aim to address challenges such as gender bias, stereotyping, and unequal access to resources and opportunities.
• While progress has been made, there are still barriers that women in the scientific field in India may face, including cultural and societal expectations, family responsibilities, and workplace discrimination. However, with continued efforts to address these challenges and create more inclusive environments, the future for women in the scientific field in India looks promising.
• Overall, as more women break barriers and make significant contributions to scientific research and innovation, they will continue to inspire future generations of women to pursue careers in STEM and shape the future of science and technology in India.

Topic 2: Mission Gaganyaan

What is Gaganyaan?

• Gaganyaan is the name of the ISRO mission to send Indian astronauts to low-earth orbit for a short duration, onboard an Indian launch vehicle.

What are the components of Gaganyaan?

Gaganyaan comprises the following components aside from the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC):

• The Launch Vehicle Mark-3: The LVM-3 is the launch vehicle. Formerly called the GSLV Mk-III, it is a three-stage rocket. The first stage comprises of two solid-fuel boosters strapped to the rocket core. The second stage is powered by two liquid-fuelled and clustered Vikas 2 engines. The third stage has the CE-20 indigenous cryogenic engine with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as fuel and oxidiser, respectively.
• The orbital module: The 8.2-tonne orbital module is the object the LVM-3 rocket will launch and place in low-earth orbit. It consists of the crew module and the service module.
• The crew module can house up to three astronauts for a week. It includes parachutes to slow its descent to the ground once it descends from orbit; an environmental control and life-support system and the crew escape system.
• The service module contains the propulsion system required to raise the orbital module’s altitude once it separates from the rocket and later to propel it back towards the earth.
• The crew: Along with the astronauts the crew module will include a gynoid (feminine robot) named ‘Vyommitra’ fit with sensors to track the effects of radiation and weightlessness, monitor capsule conditions, and sound alarms in the event of an impending emergency.

What will Gaganyaan achieve?

• Gaganyaan project envisages demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching crew of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3 days mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters.
• Technically, it is a demonstration mission: it will test various technologies required for human spaceflight, which remains the most complicated form of spaceflight, and demonstrate India’s familiarity with their production, qualification, and use.