Parliament Question: Scheme for Encouraging Science to Girl Students

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5418 ANSWERED ON 25/03/2026 SCHEME FOR ENCOURAGING SCIENCE TO GIRL STUDENTS 5418. SHRI BASAVARAJ BOMMAI: Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state: (a) Whether any scheme is being implemented by the Government to increase the interest and inclination of girls towards science; (b) If so, the details thereof; and (c) State-wise details of girl students who have been encouraged during the last three years? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH) (a) to (b): The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has been implementing the Vigyan Jyoti programme since 2019-20 to encourage meritorious girls to pursue higher education and careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. The programme aims to promote gender parity in STEM by sustaining the talent pool in science and technology through various year-round activities, such as hands-on experiential learning sessions, interactions with scientific role models, visits to R&D and industrial laboratories, career guidance workshops, and student–parent counselling sessions. These initiatives provide exposure and help increase girls’ interest and inclination towards science. Since its inception, the Vigyan Jyoti programme has benefited 1,12,600 high- achieving girls from 300 districts across 34 States and Union Territories. To strengthen its impact, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has engaged with over 250 premier national institutions, including universities, science and technology institutes, CSIR laboratories, and other reputed organizations. These institutions serve as knowledge partners and contribute significantly to the programme’s mission of fostering greater participation of girls in STEM. (c) The details of girl students encouraged to pursue science during the last three years, state-wise is given below: Page 1 of 22025-26 State/UTs 2023-24 2024-25 Total (as on 19.03.2026) Andaman and Nicobar 100 115 100 315 Andhra Pradesh 880 889 900 2669 Arunachal Pradesh 233 347 394 974 Assam 970 1276 1398 3644 Bihar 912 1243 1197 3352 Chandigarh 100 103 100 303 Chhattisgarh 1066 1397 1398 3861 Dadar, Nagar Haveli, 200 188 200 588 Daman & Diu Delhi 195 200 200 595 Goa 98 100 106 304 Gujarat 1703 1567 1618 4888 Haryana 891 1580 1604 4075 Himachal Pradesh 856 972 876 2704 Jammu and Kashmir 589 939 897 2425 Jharkhand 1017 1265 1287 3569 Karnataka 1030 1278 1300 3608 Kerala 810 975 1005 2790 Ladakh 99 200 200 499 Madhya Pradesh 1273 1385 1398 4056 Maharashtra 1496 1709 1803 5008 Manipur 289 463 468 1220 Meghalaya 300 394 399 1093 Mizoram 90 87 82 259 Nagaland 104 97 100 301 Odisha 1082 1280 1300 3662 Puducherry 399 396 400 1195 Punjab 1091 1480 1501 4072 Rajasthan 1263 1712 1798 4773 Sikkim 167 187 100 454 Telangana 745 771 899 2415 Tripura 233 299 300 832 Uttarakhand 861 900 900 2661 Uttar Pradesh 1502 2566 2604 6672 West Bengal 998 1083 1100 3181 ***** Page 2 of 2