Author Information
Nidhi Bansal, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, IndiaAbstract
The underrepresentation of females in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is a persistent phenomenon across the global society. This disparity is even more evident among female students from rural and marginalised communities. Several UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) such as SDG 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 5.1, 5.5, 5.b, 8.5, 8.6, 9.5, 9.b, 10.2 and 10.3 underscore the imperative of achieving gender parity in STEM domains. It is critical to understand that even after several governmental and institutional interventions, the presence of females in STEM higher education and careers remains low. This qualitative study aimed to understand perceived socio-cultural, economic and institutional barriers that hinder gender parity in STEM higher education in India. The study focused on female students enrolled in the Vigyan Jyoti scheme in post-secondary education in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in India. In-depth interviews were conducted to capture the lived experiences employing a gender-sensitive perspective. Furthermore, STEM teachers, parents and administrators were interviewed, providing triangulated perspectives on barriers faced by rural school girls in terms of participation and persistence in STEM fields. Findings uncover the patterns of entrenched gender stereotypes, apart from a lack of awareness and career guidance, and financial constraints, which significantly affect the STEM trajectories for rural girl students. The study offers recommendations to develop strategies and identify focus areas to foster gender parity in STEM fields. The findings inform practitioners, STEM teachers, researchers and policy makers on possible solutions to promote equitable participation and sustained engagement of rural girls in STEM domains.
Comments
Powered by WP LinkPress