About Vigyan Jyoti

The Department of Science & Technology started a unique programme ‘Vigyan Jyoti’ for meritorious girls with the aim to address the underrepresentation of women in different fields of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the country. As a first step, the “Vigyan Jyoti” has been introduced in the year 2019-20 at the school level wherein meritorious girl students of Class 9-12 are being encouraged to pursue higher education and career in STEM field. The Vigyan Jyoti envisaged hand-holding and interventions right from the school level i.e., Class IX and which will continue till the PhD level to encourage girls to pursue a career in underrepresented areas of STEM. Various activities such as science camps, special lectures/ classes, counselling of students and parents, interaction with role models, tinkering activities, visit to Knowledge Partners/ Research Labs/ Industries/ NGOs are being conducted in the programme in order to motivate girls.

The Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), an autonomous organization of MHRD, is the implementation partner of Vigyan Jyoti. NVS has a network of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in more than 600 districts of India and at present, 300 JNVs are acting as ‘Vigyan Jyoti Knowledge Centres’ to cater for girls from JNVs, KVs, Govt. schools, army schools of small cities and rural areas for more diversity in STEM.