SWATI portal

The newly launched SWATI portal aims to highlight and document the contributions of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) across India.

• The launch coincides with the International Day for Girls and Women in Science, and SWATI aims to create a database of women in science in India.

About SWATI portal:

• It is a single online portal on Indian women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine (STEMM), which could help in policy-making to address the challenges of gender gap in sciences.
• It is a complete interactive database and the first-of-its-kind in India which is developed, hosted and maintained by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR).
• Its primary goal is to make information about all female scientists in the country readily accessible with just a click of a button.
• Objective: The SWATI portal aims to significantly scale up efforts to include every Indian woman in science, spanning various career stages and subjects in both academia and industry.
  • This expansion facilitates reliable, long-term research on issues of equality, diversity, and inclusivity in India.

Key Initiatives of the government over the Years:

• INSA Report (2004): A comprehensive report addressing gender gaps, discrimination, and proposing solutions.
  • It was one of the first reports supported by the government.
• Lilavati’s Daughters (2008): A compendium by the Indian Academy of Sciences (IASc) featuring contributions from women scientists.
• National Conference (2008): Organized by a Department of Science and Technology (DST) task force in response to the INSA report. Featured groundbreaking announcements for women scientists.
• Report on Women Leaving Academia (2010): Explored reasons behind women leaving science, including family and sociocultural factors, lack of opportunities, and organizational challenges.
• Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) Charter: A newer initiative adopting more progressive language and addressing diverse challenges faced by women.
• Draft Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) 2020: A policy featuring inclusive language, acknowledging transgender identities, and proposing gender-neutral parental leave.

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