Speakers at the valedictory of a two-day national conference on ‘Women and Science', organised primarily by the State unit of Jana Vignana Vedika (JVV), called for more girl students to take up research in science and technology.
Scientist and former director of the National Institute of Nutrition, Mahtab S. Bamji, said that women comprised 37 per cent of those who secured doctoral qualifications. However, the percentage of those who were in universities and academic institutions, including R &D establishments, was less than 20. The reasons include women taking breaks after doctoral studies primarily because of domestic compulsions like child-bearing and taking care of family members, apart from running the household.
Others who spoke included Principal Secretary (Women Welfare and Child Development) M. Chaya Ratan, Chairman, Governing Council of the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, P. Rama Rao, Director, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and JVV honorary president Ch. Mohan Rao.
Quoting a recent Special Task Force report, Ms Ratan said that maximum number of students deciding against a career in research, science and technology were at the collegiate level.
Another recommendation made in the report was to introduce science in an easy-to-understand manner, right from primary school. Prof. Rama Rao said that it had mentioned about regional disparities, apart from clear instances of gender discrimination.
