Topic: Role of women, Social empowerment
1) Critically examine the Cultural stereotypes that pose severe barriers for women’s entry into the sciences in the country. Suggest what steps need to be taken to overcome such a barrier.(250 words)
Why this question:
The article details on studies that have brought to fore the stereotypes – how they pose severe barriers for women’s entry into the sciences—for instance, only 29% of female students in India are enrolled in a BTech course, as per the All India Higher Education Survey (AISHE) 2017-18.
Key demand of the question:
One must examine the typical cultural stereotypes that pose severe barriers for women’s entry into the sciences in the country and what solutions need to be provided to overcome it.
Directive:
Critically examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we have to look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgement.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Discuss current conditions in science and the number of women contributing towards it.
Body:
One must take hints from the article quote from various case studies and discuss the causes of such stereotyping and explain what needs to be done to overcome such a cultural stereotyping. Discuss government initiatives and policies in this direction. Explain what can be done to overcome and induct more women to participate in the field of science.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
