Department of Science & Technology (DST) under the aegis of Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India (GOI) has selected Chandigarh University as GATI Charter Institution (Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions) for the promotion of gender equality in the field of Science & Technology.
A total of 30 Universities and Institutions have been selected by DST for the GATI pilot project and Chandigarh University is the only private sector university of India to be selected by the GOI. Amongst the Institutions selected for the GATI pilot project in the government sector include Delhi, University of Kashmir, BHU Varanasi.
While giving details about the GATI pilot project being run by DST, Dr. Sanjeet Singh, Dean Research, Chandigarh University, said, “The project is aimed to improve the enrolment of female students in higher education institutions in the field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) and also to promote women participation in scientific laboratories, research and patents”.
Dr. Sanjeet further added that the GATI program is a part of the KIRAN division (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing) under which charter institutions/universities are selected after rigorous selection criteria which include female: male ratio in students enrolment, female: male ratio in faculty appointed, the contribution of female students & faculty in research and entrepreneurship.
Chandigarh University is also a partner Institution of DST under INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) program which is used to attract talent from schools towards science, and the university conducts INSPIRE camps at its campus every year where meritorious students from Punjab undergo practical hands-on training on projects so that their interest can be developed in the field of science and they choose their career in STEMM subjects.
Dr. S.S Sehgal, Registrar, Chandigarh University said, “Chandigarh University is already taking the number of initiatives to improve gender equality in all the programs offered. Currently, the female enrolment in STEMM subjects is 46.9 % while the number of female faculty in STEMM subjects is already 51.4 %”. The University had filed a total of 900 patients out of which 30 % patents have been filed by female faculty and students while out of the total 108 start-ups incubated at CU-TBI (Technology Business Incubator) has 47 % start-ups established by female students, he added.
It is a matter of great pride that Chandigarh University has been selected for the GATI pilot project and we as a part of the Higher Education Institution fraternity of India are playing our role in improving the gender parity that exists especially in the field of science and technology. Under the GATI project, we are committed to adopting gender parity principles in our policies, practices, action plan, and institutional culture so that a significant improvement can be achieved in this regard,
Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chancellor, Chandigarh University.
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