{"id":17964,"date":"2026-10-03T06:24:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T06:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/?p=17964"},"modified":"2026-10-05T06:45:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T06:45:12","slug":"gender-neutral-stem-aspirations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/gender-neutral-stem-aspirations\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Gets to Be a Scientist? How Gender, Geography and Income Shape STEM Aspirations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Gender-neutral<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the 1930s, when Kamala Sohonie<\/a> applied to study at the Indian Institute of Science, there was a fairly simple reason she was not expected to be there: she was a woman. She had graduated from the University of Bombay with first-class honours in chemistry and physics, but her academic record did not automatically get her a place at one of India’s most prestigious scientific institutions. C.V. Raman, then director of the institute, was initially reluctant to admit her, and her eventual entry came with conditions that reflected the prejudices surrounding women in scientific research at the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sohonie persisted and went on to complete her research in biochemistry and, in 1939, became the first Indian woman to receive a PhD in a scientific discipline. Her story raises a question that remains relevant nearly a century later: what shapes a child’s STEM aspirations, and who gets the opportunity to turn those aspirations into a career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her story is remarkable, but perhaps more useful than remarkable. It shows that becoming a scientist has never been only a matter of being good at science. Sohonie had the academic ability, but she also needed the opportunity to enter the institution, the persistence to remain there and, crucially, a social environment in which a woman pursuing scientific research could be imagined as legitimate. Her career eventually took her towards questions of nutrition and public health, including research into the nutritional value of legumes and foods consumed by economically disadvantaged communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly a century later, the barriers have changed, but the larger question has not still disappeared \u2014 Who gets encouraged to pursue science?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gender gap begins early in STEM aspirations\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A child’s interest in science may begin with curiosity, but whether that curiosity becomes a career is shaped by much more than curiosity alone. Gender happens to be one of the most visible factors shaping who imagines themselves belonging in STEM. There is a larger belief system that boys are better at science than girls, shaped by stereotypes that are older than contemporary society. A lot of girls are not inherently less interested or less capable in science and mathematics; rather, their engagement with these subjects is shaped by expectations that begin remarkably early. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNESCO estimates that women account for only around 35 per cent of STEM graduates globally<\/a> and less than 30 per cent of the world’s researchers. The imbalance becomes particularly pronounced in fields such as engineering, information and communication technology, and some areas of physical sciences. The problem is therefore not simply that fewer women eventually enter scientific careers. It is that the pipeline narrows at multiple points<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideas about who is naturally good at mathematics, who is technically minded, and what kinds of work are appropriate for women can influence subject choices long before a student reaches university. Teachers, parents and peers can unintentionally reinforce these assumptions. A girl who performs well in mathematics may still receive stronger encouragement towards medicine or the humanities, while boys may be more readily encouraged towards engineering, computing or technical careers. Representation therefore, matters here because aspirations are partly built through familiarity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When children repeatedly encounter scientists as men in textbooks, laboratories and popular culture, the message breeds stereotypes. Increasing the visibility of women scientists is therefore not just symbolic that way but pertinent because it expands the range of futures that young people can imagine for themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geography as a determinant <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Location also plays a key role. A student in a metropolitan city may have access to specialised schools, science museums, robotics clubs, Olympiad programmes, private laboratories, coding courses and universities with established research departments. A student in a rural or economically disadvantaged region may encounter science primarily through a textbook and a classroom with limited equipment. This does not mean that rural or smaller-town students lack scientific curiosity or the temperament. But it is just the lack of opportunities that allows access to one and not the other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A child who wants to understand how a machine works needs somewhere to experiment. A student interested in astronomy needs access to mentors, telescopes or science clubs. Someone considering research as a career needs to know that such a career exists in the first place and understand how one gets there.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

India’s geographic inequalities<\/a> in higher education make this particularly significant. The expansion of institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, central universities and other research institutions has widened opportunities, but access remains uneven<\/a>. For many students, pursuing STEM after school can also mean moving away from home, paying for accommodation and navigating an unfamiliar educational environment. The result is that geography does not merely determine where a student studies. It can shape what futures appear available in the first place.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economic disparities as last straw <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

STEM education is often presented as a meritocratic pathway<\/a>: study hard, perform well and opportunities will follow. But academic performance itself is shaped by resources such as private tutoring, coaching classes, reliable internet, laptops, educational materials and the ability to spend additional time studying are not distributed equally. There is also the question of what happens after school. A student from a financially secure household may be able to spend several years pursuing an undergraduate degree, followed by a master’s and potentially a PhD. For a student whose family depends on an early income, the same path can feel prohibitively long.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one reason why widening participation in STEM requires more than scholarships alone. Financial support has to be accompanied by mentoring, academic preparation, career information and institutional support. Otherwise, students may enter STEM programmes without having the networks and resources needed to remain there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, there is an important gap between enjoying science at school and imagining oneself as a scientist. Most children encounter science through textbooks and examinations. Far fewer encounter the actual practice of scientific work: asking questions for which there may not yet be answers, designing experiments, working with data, collaborating with other researchers and sometimes spending years investigating a very small problem. That gap makes all the difference because career aspirations are produced through exposure and not just interest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where schools, universities, museums, nonprofits and research institutions can play a crucial role. Science outreach should not only tell children that STEM careers exist but should allow them to experience how scientific thinking works and meet the people doing it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smile Foundation has incorporated STEM learning<\/a> into its flagship Mission Education programme, using hands-on activities to introduce children from underserved communities to science and technology beyond the confines of textbook learning. Its dedicated STEM labs provide children with access to digital tools, robotics and DIY science kits, and electronics equipment. Another programme STEM on Wheel\u2019, a mobile laboratory model, takes these learning opportunities to children in remote and marginalised communities. Together, these efforts aim to make scientific learning more experiential and expand children’s exposure to STEM beyond what is typically available in under-resourced schools.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making STEM aspirations more equal <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If the question is who gets to become a scientist, the answer cannot simply be the students who work hardest primarily because scientific talent is distributed far more widely in our country than scientific opportunity. Creating a more inclusive STEM ecosystem therefore requires intervention at several levels: better science infrastructure in underserved schools, stronger career counselling, exposure to researchers and laboratories, scholarships that address the real costs of higher education, mentoring for first-generation learners and deliberate efforts to make women and other underrepresented groups visible across scientific fields. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The important goal is to ensure that a child does not abandon a scientific ambition simply because they were born in the wrong place, into the wrong income group or into a society that taught them they did not belong there. In conclusion, who gets to be a scientist is not only a question of ability but possibility, and who can afford to stay on the path long enough to reach it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1. What are STEM aspirations?<\/strong>
STEM aspirations are a person’s interest or ambition to pursue education or a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. These aspirations can begin in childhood and are shaped by experiences at home, school and in the wider community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. What influences children’s STEM aspirations?<\/strong>
Children’s STEM aspirations can be influenced by gender stereotypes, role models, family expectations, quality of education, access to technology and science facilities, geography, financial circumstances and exposure to real-world scientific work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Why do fewer women pursue STEM careers?<\/strong>
The article highlights that gender stereotypes can influence children’s subject choices and expectations from an early age. Ideas about who is naturally good at mathematics or technically minded can shape whether girls see STEM as a field in which they belong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Why is representation of women in STEM important?<\/strong>
Seeing women scientists in textbooks, laboratories, media and educational settings can broaden children’s understanding of who can become a scientist. Representation can help make scientific careers feel more familiar and attainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. How does geography affect access to STEM aspirations\/education?<\/strong>
Students in metropolitan areas may have greater access to specialised schools, science museums, robotics clubs, coding courses, laboratories and research institutions. Students in rural or economically disadvantaged communities may have fewer opportunities to experience science beyond textbooks and classroom instruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. How does family income affect STEM opportunities?<\/strong>
Access to resources such as private tutoring, coaching, reliable internet, laptops and educational materials can influence a student’s ability to pursue STEM. Financial circumstances can also affect whether a young person can afford several years of higher education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Is academic ability enough to pursue a STEM career?<\/strong>
Academic ability is important, but it is not the only factor. Students also need access to educational opportunities, mentors, financial support, career information, practical experience and an environment that encourages them to remain on the STEM pathway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Why is hands-on STEM learning important?<\/strong>
Hands-on learning allows children to experience science as more than textbooks and examinations. Activities involving experiments, robotics, electronics, data and problem-solving can help students understand how scientific thinking works and potentially strengthen their interest in STEM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. How can schools encourage STEM aspirations among children?<\/strong>
Schools can provide practical science activities, expose students to researchers and STEM professionals, offer career guidance, create science clubs and provide access to equipment and technology. These experiences can help children understand what STEM careers actually involve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. How can nonprofits help increase access to STEM education?<\/strong>
Nonprofits can help address gaps in access by providing science equipment, digital tools, hands-on learning, mentorship and exposure to STEM careers, particularly for children from underserved communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. How is Smile Foundation supporting STEM learning?<\/strong>
Smile Foundation has incorporated STEM learning into its Mission Education programme. Its STEM labs provide children with opportunities to use digital tools, robotics and DIY science kits and electronics equipment. Its STEM on Wheels<\/strong> model takes mobile STEM learning opportunities to children in remote and marginalised communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Why are STEM aspirations important for India’s future?<\/strong>
India’s scientific and technological development depends on having a broad and diverse pool of young people who can pursue STEM education and careers. Expanding opportunity can help ensure that scientific talent is not limited by where a child lives, their family income or gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. How can we make STEM opportunities more equal?<\/strong>
Creating a more inclusive STEM ecosystem requires action at several levels, including better science infrastructure in underserved schools, career counselling, exposure to researchers and laboratories, scholarships, mentoring and greater visibility of women and other underrepresented groups in scientific fields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Does every child interested in science need to become a scientist?<\/strong>
No. The goal is not to direct every child towards a scientific career. It is to ensure that children have enough exposure, support and opportunity to make that choice for themselves rather than abandoning a STEM aspiration because of circumstances or stereotypes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A child\u2019s interest in science does not automatically become a scientific career. STEM aspirations are shaped by gender, geography, family income, representation and access to mentors and hands-on learning. Explore what it takes to make opportunities in science and technology more equal for children across India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":17742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,10],"tags":[1247],"class_list":["post-17964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-insights","tag-stemaspirations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17964","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17964"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17964\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17966,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17964\/revisions\/17966"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17964"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}