Women Scientist Fellowship: Category, Eligibility, Support

Women Scientist Fellowship: Women constitute a major chunk of the population who are contributing to the economy of the nation. However, when it comes to the domains of science and technology, there are certain factors that are responsible for impeding the academic and professional growth of women. One of the major contributors to this predicament is the need for women to look after their families and children, which results in them leaving their careers at their peak. During 2002-03, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) introduced and commenced the ‘Women Scientists Scheme’ (WOS) to help women mitigate such gaps in careers. 

Since its inception, the WOS programme traversed on the path of helping women re-enter the field of science and technology. This scheme is ideal for those women who wish to restart their careers in the stated domains after a certain gap. Interested candidates may read more about the DST Women Scientist Fellowship here. Read through the article to know more about the women scientist fellowships. 

Also Read: Importance of Women’s Education

Women Scientist Fellowship(s) Category 

These programmes are designed to help women scientists restart their careers in the technical domains of engineering and science. Women who wish to make a change in society by mitigating specific issues with the help of their technical knowledge and expertise are encouraged to apply for such initiatives. Here is a list of the three types of Women Scientist Fellowships administered by the DST. 

Fellowship Category	Domain(s)
Women Scientist Scheme-C (WOS-C):	Internship in Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for the Self-Employment
Women Scientist Scheme-B (WOS-B)	S&T Interventions for Societal Benefit
Women Scientist Scheme-A(WOS-A)	Research in Basic/Applied Science

Eligibility Criteria 

The fellowship programme administered by the DST is designed to help women who wish to make a comeback in their careers (in fields of science and technology). It was initiated for those women who left their careers due to certain circumstances and are facing problems in finding suitable employment. 

Individuals who wish to apply for the said scheme must meet certain prescribed prerequisites, such as: 

• It is mandated for women (age-27 to 57 years) to hold a post-graduate certificate in MBBS or M.Pharm or M.Sc. in Basic or Applied Sciences or M.Phil  or M.Tech or M.VSc. 
• Individuals must possess a PhD certificate in Basic or Applied Sciences. 
• Women belonging to the marginalised sections such as SC/OBC/ST will be provided with an age relaxation of 5 years. 

Women Scientist Fellowship Amount

Women who wish to continue their research work must come up with a well-defined project pitch to receive a research grant under the said scheme (maximum of three years). This grant is meant to cover a major chunk of an individual’s expenditure including that of the equipment, contingencies, travel, consumables, etc. Refer to the given data to get an in-depth understanding of the fellowship programme. 

Programme	Qualifications	Amount of Fellowship per month	Total Cost of the Project
Women Scientist Scheme-C (WOS-C)	M.Sc in Basic or Applied Sciences/MBBS/B.Tech or equivalent degree	Rs.31,000/- + HRA* as applicable.	Rs.20 lakhs
	M.Phil/M.Tech/M.Pharm/M.VSc or equivalent degree	Rs.40,000/-+  HRA* as applicable	Rs.25 lakhs
	PhD in Basic or Applied Sciences/MD or equivalent degree	Rs.55,000/- + HRA* as applicable	Rs.30 lakhs
Women Scientist Scheme (WOS-A)and Women Scientist Scheme-B (WOS-B)*	M.Sc in Basic or Applied Sciences or MBBS or B.Tech	Rs.25,000/-	–
	M.Phil/M.Tech/M.Pharm/M.VSc or equivalent degree	Rs.30,000/-	–
	PhD in Basic or Applied Sciences or MD.	Rs.35,000/-	–

Also Read:  Top 10 Scholarships for Women to Study Abroad

Women Scientist Scheme-A (WOS-A)

Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) solely aims at aiding women who wish to pursue their research work in basic or applied sciences (in the fields of science and engineering). The scheme is designed to equip women with the required technical knowledge and expertise to excel in their respective domains. Under this scheme, women will be able to work as bench-level scientists.

Not only that, the scheme can even open other lucrative work opportunities for women in the fields of Science & Technology. Those who intend to further their research in Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, and  Engineering Technology can apply for this scheme. The Scheme is open throughout the year. Therefore, there is no last date of application.

Women Scientist Scheme-B (WOS-B)

Women who wish to bring change to society with their calibre and knowledge in science and technology can opt for the WOS-B scheme.  Individuals who wish to get their pitch approved must bring forth a consolidated proposal that not only addresses an impending issue in society but also provides a solution to it. Candidates will be required to manifest their idea in terms of a viable technology/technique, its adaptation and implementation in society.

 Candidates who are adept at various technical skills must apply for this scheme. Those proposals will be encouraged by authorities that have the potential for sustainable income generation, reduces labour work, and enhances the quality of life. 

Women Scientist Scheme-C (WOS-C)

Women scientists who aspire to create, protect and manage intellectual properties in India are encouraged to apply for the WOS-C scheme. The programme is designed to equip female candidates with adequate knowledge and expertise to perform the stated tasks. Under this scheme, women will be trained to handle various aspects of IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) including patent search, know-how, drafting, filing, trademarks, trade secrets, copyright etc. 

Visit the official website to know more about the DST Women Scientist Fellowship Scheme by clicking here.

FAQs

The WOS programme (s) is ideal for those women who wish to restart their careers in the domains of science and technology after a certain gap. Such an initiative can be instrumental for those who wish to bring changes in society by addressing and providing solutions to specific issues with the help of their technical knowledge and expertise.  

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