09-12-2020 | 15:22 PM
SERB-POWER Scheme for women scientists
Context
On October 29, SERB-POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research) Scheme exclusively for women scientists was launched by the Union Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare. The scheme has two components of fellowships and research grants.
Highlights of the scheme
The scheme has been designed exclusively for women scientists.
The scheme has been launched by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB). It is a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.
The major objective of the scheme is to mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering research with in the S&T programs in Indian academic institutions and R&D laboratories.
It will cultivate a women-friendly culture.
It will also ensure more women in leadership positions in decision-making bodies.
Search-cum-Selection Committee was constituted to help in identifying the POWER Fellowship.
Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) mechanism will be used to choose the POWER Research Grants.
It has been proposed to institute 25 POWER Fellowships annually and a total of 50 Power Grants each will be sanctioned in Level I & Level II per annum.
The scheme has two components- SERB-POWER Fellowship and SERB- POWER Research Grants.
SERB-POWER Fellowship:
The scheme is targeted at women researchers aged 35-55 years.
The scheme provides for a fellowship of Rs 15,000/-per month part of regular income.
A Research grant of Rs 10 lakh annually.
Overhead of Rs 90,000 on annual basis.
The span of the fellowship would be of Three years, only once in a career. There will be no possibility of extension.
SERB – POWER Research Grants
These POWER Grants seek to empower women researchers by funding them under two categories.
Under Level I category, the scale of funding is up to 60 lakhs for three years. It is for applicants from IITs, IISERs, IISc, NITs, Central Universities, and National Labs of Central Government Institutions.
Under Level II category, the scale of funding is up to 30 lakhs for three years. It is for applicants from State Universities/Colleges and Private Academic Institutions.
The grants will be regulated by terms of reference conforming to SERB-Core Research Grant (CRG) guidelines.
Other important government schemes for the empowerment of women includes:
Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) Scheme. It will develop a comprehensive charter and a framework for evaluating gender equality in STEM.
Vigyan Jyoti Scheme launched by the DST. The objective of the scheme is to create a level-playing field for the meritorious girls in high school to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in their higher education.
Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN) Scheme. KIRAN scheme seeks to bring gender parity in the S&T sector by incorporating more women talent in the R&D domain.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme. It is the joint initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development to ensure survival, protection, and empowerment of the girl child.
