Background

Girls in India are studying mathematics and science in growing numbers, but that participation doesn't carry through into quantitative careers. Women make up just 14% of the STEM workforce in India — one of the lowest shares among major economies globally, despite comparable graduation rates. The gap isn't rooted in ability: research consistently shows that girls report higher levels of anxiety around mathematics than boys, even when their performance is equally strong, a confidence gap that widens well before students reach the point of choosing a stream, a major, or a career. Compounding this, girls, even in supportive families, are often steered toward arts, medicine, or teaching over quantitative and technical fields, reinforcing the sense that these paths aren't really open to them. For girls from underserved communities, these barriers are sharper still, layered on top of unequal access to enrichment resources and quantitative role models in the first place.

Closing this gap requires more than curriculum - it requires building mathematical confidence directly, through practical problem-solving experience, peer-led engagement, and sustained access to enrichment opportunities beyond the standard classroom.

Sources:

• https://professionalprograms.mit.edu/blog/leadership/the-gender-gap-in-stem 

• https://world-education-blog.org/2024/07/05/where-does-girls-maths-anxiety-come-from/ 

• https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/blog/gender-gaps-in-stem/