New Delhi: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu said today that while India has the largest number of women in the world, graduating in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects (about 40 percent). But STEM in the country They have a very low 14 percent participation in employment-related to sectors, which needs to be improved. She said that undergraduate and doctoral studies also have very little representation of women, which needs to be improved rapidly.
In this regard, Naidu said that the efforts of the government to improve the number of girl students in the IITs have come to light. In 2016, the number of women was only 8 percent, which has now increased to about 20 percent. She also praised the ‘Women Scientific Program’ of the Department of Science and Technology, as it is a commendable initiative that encourages women to pursue careers in science and mathematics. He said that we should welcome our women scientists and create inspiration for girls in the field of science.
At Chennai Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMS), the Vice President talked about the trends in STEM and how we can harness the potential of the data science revolution in job creation. Mr. Naidu said that data has changed the way we do business and we have to look beyond our traditional engineering curriculum to equip our young graduates with these new skill-sets. He said that in this way we should remain relevant to the current demands of the industry.
Expressing his happiness over the dissemination of distance education courses offered by national institutions such as IITs, he said that the availability of technical courses in regional languages should be ensured in order to benefit more students.
Emphasizing the importance of making science education available in local languages, the Vice President said that it would help students to understand the subject better as well as innovate. Stating that no language should be imposed or opposed, he called upon the people to learn more and more languages but prefer the mother tongue.
Regarding the importance of mathematics and the rich heritage of India in the subject, Mr. Naidu discussed the invaluable contribution made by the great Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. Calling to find out the hidden talent among children, the Vice President said that there is no dearth of talent among children and that it is important to find and nurture talent.
Praising the scientists who made indigenous vaccines for Kovid-19, Shri Naidu described it as a major achievement of science for India. The Vice President also said that due to the tremendous efforts being made by our scientists and the enthusiasm of young researchers, he feels confident about the future of the nation. His idea was that the purpose of all research and development is the betterment of people’s lives.
Referring to the current Kovid-19 epidemic, the Vice President highlighted the need to respect nature. He cautioned that climate change is real and its negative effects will affect our lives. Shri Naidu emphasized the need to live in harmony with nature and called upon people to practice yoga and adopt a healthy and nutritious lifestyle by eating nutritious and nutritious food.
Naidu also expressed concern over the increasing trend of overuse of mobile phones among the youth as it leads to unnecessary deviations. He also said that for the overall progress and development of students, schools need to include activities like yoga, horticulture and social work in their curriculum.
Discussing that many children become intimidated by mathematics and develop fear and anxiety at the prospect of learning the topic, she urges teachers to carry on the tradition of rote memorization with creative methods and hands-on activities, So that children can be made friendly with numbers.
In order to achieve this achievement, the Vice President suggested that the provisions of the new education policy should be fully leveraged and educational changes should be brought in primary education. He said that STEM subjects with a strong foundation should be supplemented by encouraging children to pursue a career in science. He also urged the private sector to partner with educational institutions to strengthen STEM research.
The Vice President appreciated IMSC’s efforts in advancing quality fundamental research, particularly in the context of its participation in the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO), the mega-science project. He expressed confidence that this ambitious project will raise the status of India worldwide as a lighthouse in scientific research.
Naidu praised the institute for science outreach programs in Tamil Nadu and said that the need of the hour is to develop scientific thinking among people, especially children.