IIT Madras among 30 institutes chosen to train women in STEM

The GATI or Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, seeks to develop and implement policies and address issues in a systematic and timely manner. 

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is one of the 30 institutions selected by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, to advance women in STEM (science, technology engineering and mathematics). 

The GATI or ‘Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions initiative’ seeks to develop and implement policies and address issues in a systematic and timely manner. 

Highlighting the institute’s commitment to the cause of women in STEM, IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti said, “DST’s initiatives are very important and aligned with the overarching objectives of IIT Madras. IITM will support the GATI initiative fully.” 

DST has collaborated with British Educational Institutions to develop GATI, which aims at bringing about tangible and positive changes in terms of the improvement of gender ratio. A gender equity charter has also been developed for an India-specific context. Pratibha Jolly, former principal, Miranda House, Delhi, and her team have developed an evaluation and assessment method of the institutional gender climate, with a uniquely Indian look. 

GATI self-assessment team  

IIT Madras has created a GATI self-assessment team (GSAT) with several representatives from each group of stakeholders at the institute. The institute leadership and administration are committed to the gender equity charter put together by the GATI team and the GSAT is actively working on the framework developed by Jolly. 

Highlighting the impact GATI will have in encouraging women to take up a career in STEM, Preeti Aghalayam, nodal officer, GATI Self-Assessment Team (GSAT), IIT Madras, said, “DST’s initiative comes at the right time for us. I look forward to working with the team on improving the research and gender climate of IIT Madras.” 

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