The knowledge economy of the future is powered by nari shakti, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• India's focus has shifted from women's development to women-led development, recognizing women as active leaders.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) reached 1.0 at the foundational, preparatory, and middle levels, and 1.1 at the secondary level, indicating gender parity in education.
• Female enrolment in higher education rose from 1.57 crore to 2.18 crore since 2014-15, with Female GER improving from 22.9 to 30.2.
• Women constitute 43% of total enrolment in STEM at the higher education level in India, among the highest globally.
• Women accounted for over 53% of STEM fellows under the UGC NET-Junior Research Fellowship during 2024-25.
• The Union Budget 2026 includes provisions for safe and affordable hostel facilities for girls pursuing STEM education in every district.

Detailed Insights:

• India has achieved gender parity in school enrolment, with girls' participation equaling or exceeding that of boys in some segments, alongside declining dropout rates.
• Initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs and early skilling programs provide students with practical exposure to emerging technologies, strengthening the foundation for girls in STEM.
• The higher education ecosystem has expanded significantly since 2014-15, with increased institutional capacity and student participation, driven by rising female enrolment.
• Supernumerary seats in IITs and NITs have increased women's share from less than 10% to over 20% in recent years, promoting women's participation in academic research.
• Emerging sectors like AI, quantum technology, and data science are shaping the global economy, and the growing presence of women in STEM will be critical for India's innovation ecosystem.
• A significant percentage of women researchers are employed in government institutions (45.87%), higher education (27.62%), and industry (26.51%), within the national R&D ecosystem.
• The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship supports scholars, with 35% being women, and aims to support 10,000 fellowships in the next five years, complemented by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): The total enrolment within a specific age group, expressed as a percentage of the corresponding population in that age group.
• STEM: An acronym referring to the academic disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
• Nari Shakti: A Hindi term that translates to "women power," used to emphasize the role and empowerment of women in India's development.