DST Report: Private Sector Lags Behind Government with Only 17.8% Women Researchers

A recent report released by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), titled Research and Development Statistics at a Glance 2025-26, has brought to light a significant gender gap in India's industrial sector. According to the data, the participation of women researchers in private sector research and development stands at a meager 17.8 percent, falling notably behind the 21.2 percent representation recorded in public institutions. This disparity persists even as private industry nearly matches government expenditure in overall research and development investments across the country.

Higher Education Sector Leads in Women's Participation

A comprehensive sector-wise analysis within the report highlights stark contrasts across various domains of India's research ecosystem. The higher education sector takes the lead, boasting an impressive 36 percent participation rate of women researchers.

The sectoral breakdown follows a distinct hierarchy:

• Higher Education: 36%

• State Agricultural Universities and Research Labs: 28%

• Government-Funded Research: 21.9%

• Public Sector Enterprises: 21.2%

• Private Sector Industry: 17.8%

Despite the private sector's lagging numbers, the broader national landscape shows an encouraging upward trend in the total participation of women in the scientific research workforce.

Rising Representation of Women in Leadership Roles

While overall private sector numbers require improvement, the report highlights a steady and positive shift in research leadership roles for women. The proportion of women serving as principal investigators and project heads in centrally funded extramural projects has surged from just 13 percent in 2000-01 to 28 percent in 2023-24. Furthermore, over the past two years, nearly 30 percent of project leaders have been women, demonstrating that female scientists are increasingly stepping into core leadership and decision-making capacities rather than being limited to supporting roles.

India's R&D Funding and Global Research Standing

The comprehensive DST data also sheds light on national research spending and output. Government-supported extramural research funding touched ₹3,356 crore across 6,094 projects in 2023-24, with academic institutions capturing roughly three-quarters of these grants, and the Department of Science and Technology alone contributing over half.

On the funding front, for every ₹100 spent on research and development in India, the government contributes approximately ₹48, while private industry closely follows, contributing about ₹45. Bolstered by these investments, India's scientific output has expanded 2.5-fold over the past decade, propelling the nation to third place globally in scientific publications as of 2022.