Women urged to pursue STEM careers

Our Correspondent 

Jalandhar, February 11 

For the first time in the state, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science was celebrated at Pushpa Gujral Science City in collaboration with NCSTC, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Around 300 students participated in the event from all over Punjab. 

Science play and slogan-writing competitions were also organised on the occasion. Inderjeet Sangwan, AGM, National Bank For Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) who was present on the occasion as a speaker said science and gender equality were both vital for the achievement of the agreed development goals, including the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

She said, “For the past 15 years, a lot of efforts have been made in inspiring and engaging women and girls in science, but still somewhere, women and girls till date are excluded from participating in science. Therefore, we must celebrate such occasions where women and girls are given due recognition and are inspired to participate more and more”.

Dr Gopi Sharma, Director, DDU Kaushal Kendra and Dean International relations, KMV College Jalandhar, in his address, said, at present less than 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women. According to UNESCO data (2014 - 2016), only around 30 per cent of all female students select science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-related fields in higher education. Globally, female students’ enrolment is particularly low in ICT (3 per cent), natural science, mathematics and statistics (5 per cent) and in engineering, manufacturing and construction (8 per cent).

Thus, women and girls should come forward and take science as their main subject and field of research, he added. 

While presiding over the function, Dr Rajesh Grover, Director, Science City said International Day of women and Girls in Science was not only meant to celebrate the achievements of women scientists and innovators but also to work towards improving access of women to science education and create an enabling environment for female scientists and technologists. 

Meanwhile, in the science play competition, Senior Secondary School Lohyan, SPPS Convent School Begowal and Kamla Nehru Public School, Phagwara secured first, second and third position respectively. 

Besides, Jai Keerat from Kamla Nehru Public School Phagwara, Navdeep Kaur from DIPS Bhogpur and Rubalpreet Kaur from Arya Model High School Sultanpur clinched the first, second and third prize in slogan writing.