PARLIAMENT QUESTION: SCHEME FOR ENCOURAGING SCIENCE TO GIRL STUDENTS

1. At a Glance

• Vigyan Jyoti is a DST-run programme (since 2019-20) to encourage meritorious girls of Class IX–XII to pursue STEM higher education and careers [1][2].
• Flagship intervention to address gender parity in Indian science; combines exposure visits, role-model interactions, and parent counselling [1][2].
• Frequently asked under Schemes/Women Empowerment/S&T pillars in Prelims and GS-I/GS-II Mains [1].

2. Why in the News

• 25 March 2026 Lok Sabha reply (PIB, MoS&T): cumulative beneficiaries reached 1,12,600 high-achieving girls since inception [1].
• Reaffirms scaling of the programme across districts and JNV ecosystem [1][3].

3. Background & Evolution

• Launched December 2019 by DST in 50 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in Phase-I [2][3].
• Phase-II (Feb 2021): expanded to 100 districts (additional 50 JNVs), announced on International Day of Women & Girls in Science (11 Feb) [3].
• 2020: DST–IBM collaboration to provide STEM career exposure to Vigyan Jyoti girls [4].
• Currently implemented in 250 districts across 34 States/UTs; ~25,000 girls of Class IX–XII enrolled in 2023-24 [2].

4. Core Static Facts

• Implementing body: Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology [1].
• Nodal school partner: Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti / JNVs [2][3].
• Target: Meritorious girl students of Class IX–XII [2].
• Inception: 2019-20 [1].
• Cumulative beneficiaries: 1,12,600 (as of March 2026 reply) [1].
• Key activities: hands-on experiential learning, role-model interactions, R&D/industry lab visits, career-guidance workshops, student-parent counselling, science camps, resource material, tinkering activities [1][2].
• Related DST umbrella for women in S&T: WISE-KIRAN (Women in Science and Engineering – Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing) [5].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

• Social / Gender: Addresses persistent underrepresentation of women in STEM higher education and research workforce; targets rural, JNV-based, meritorious girls [2][3].
• Scientific / Technological: Pipeline-building intervention to sustain India's S&T talent pool; complements broader R&D human-capital push [1].
• Administrative: Convergent model — DST + Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti + industry partner (IBM) + R&D labs; district-level delivery [2][4].
• Economic: Strengthens female labour-force participation in high-productivity STEM sectors; aligns with SDG-5 (gender equality) and SDG-4 (quality education) [1].
• Ethical / Governance: Public funds explicitly directed at gender parity — instance of affirmative, targeted policy in S&T governance [1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 25 March 2026: PIB reply pegs cumulative reach at 1,12,600 girls; reiterates components [1].
• 2023-24: ~25,000 girls enrolled across 250 districts / 34 States-UTs [2].
• DST has issued an EOI for Impact Assessment of the programme [6].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Vigyan Jyoti is implemented by DST (not MoE / not MoWCD) [1].
• Launched in 2019-20 [1].
• Target group: girls of Class IX–XII [2].
• Phase-I covered 50 JNVs; Phase-II expanded to 100 districts [3].
• Phase-II launched on International Day of Women & Girls in Science (11 February) [3].
• IBM is an industry partner for STEM career exposure [4].
• Cumulative beneficiaries as on Mar 2026: ~1,12,600 [1].
• Implemented in 250 districts / 34 States & UTs (2023-24) [2].
• DST's umbrella women-in-science scheme: WISE-KIRAN [5].
• School partner: Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti under Ministry of Education [2][3].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-I: Society — Role of women; women's empowerment.
• GS-II: Governance — Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; policies for women.
• GS-III: S&T — Developments in S&T and indigenisation; awareness in S&T.

Plausible stems:

1. "Bridging the gender gap in STEM requires structural interventions, not symbolic schemes." Examine in light of Vigyan Jyoti and allied programmes.
2. Discuss the role of DST initiatives like Vigyan Jyoti and WISE-KIRAN in expanding India's S&T human-capital base.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of school-level interventions in promoting girls' participation in higher STEM education in India.

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• WISE-KIRAN (KIRAN division, DST) — DST's umbrella for women in S&T [5].
• INSPIRE / INSPIRE-MANAK — talent attraction in science from school level.
• CURIE programme — DST support for women's universities' infrastructure.
• GATI — Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions.
• Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti / JNVs — implementation backbone [3].
• National Education Policy 2020 — STEM and gender focus.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao — convergent gender-equality lens.
• SDG-5 & SDG-4 — international benchmarks.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Wrong ministry: It is DST under MoS&T, NOT Ministry of Education or Ministry of Women & Child Development [1].
• Wrong target class: Class IX–XII, not undergraduate [2].
• Confusing Vigyan Jyoti with Vigyan Jyoti Award (a separate honour) or with INSPIRE/KIRAN.
• Mistaking launch year — 2019-20, not 2020-21 [1].
• Phase-II launch date often confused: it is 11 February (Int'l Day of Women & Girls in Science), not 8 March [3].