The Minister of Science and Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan launched the SERB-POWER initiative.
The scheme aims to mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering research funding programmes in Indian academic Institutions and Research and Development Laboratories.
SERB-POWER is Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research and has been exclusively designed for women scientist.
SERB is Science and Engineering Research Board. It is a statutory body operating under Ministry of Science and Technology.
SERB-POWER Fellowship targets women researchers of age 35 to 55 years.
It will provide 25 to 75 Fellowship per year. The selected candidates under the scheme will receive Fellowship of 15000 rupees per month in addition to a regular income. Also, they will receive 10 lakh rupees per annum as a research grant and Rs. 90,000/- as overhead in their career.
According to the Global gender gap index published by the World Economic Forum, India ranks 112 among 153 countries in 2020. Worldwide women account for only 30 % of all researches.
