Women in STEM in India: Understanding Challenges through Social Constructionist Perspective

Abstract

This article intends to understand the position of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in India and to highlight the challenges faced by them through the perspective of gender as a social construct. It argues that the social constructionist perspective helps to focus on the specific socio-cultural context, and to deepen our understanding of the barriers in career advancement for women in STEM. Based on the governmental data and research studies, it demonstrates that these constraints occur at the intersection of Indian social, organizational and institutional contexts. This perspective helps to explore solutions unique to the specific national context.