Gender Disparity in STEM Deepens at Premier IITs Despite Rising Female Intake
On the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day championed by UNESCO to honor female contributions to scientific fields and push for greater equity, a stark contradiction emerges within India's most prestigious engineering institutions. While female enrollment at five leading Indian Institutes of Technology has nearly doubled over the past seven years, the gender gap in STEM learning has simultaneously widened, revealing that progress does not necessarily equate to parity.
Steady Growth, Expanding Divide
Admissions data from IIT-Bombay, IIT-Madras, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Kanpur, and IIT-Kharagpur—institutions renowned for their NIRF rankings, academic legacy, and influence—paint a complex picture. From 2018 to 2025, female intake across these five IITs surged from 1,621 to 3,247, marking an impressive near-doubling. However, during this same period, the gap between male and female candidates expanded from 7,007 to 9,153, indicating that male admissions have grown at an even faster pace in absolute terms.
The year-wise trajectory reveals this widening chasm clearly:
- In 2018, these IITs admitted 8,628 male and 1,621 female candidates, with women comprising just under 16% of total intake.
- By 2019, female admissions rose to 2,164, but male intake climbed to 9,520, increasing the gap to 7,356.
- The pandemic years saw female numbers cross 2,700 in 2020, yet the gap widened to 7,817 as male admissions exceeded 10,500.
- In 2021, female intake dipped slightly to 2,698 while male numbers remained above 10,500, pushing the gap close to 7,900.
- The post-pandemic rebound in 2022 and 2023 brought steady increases in women's enrollment—from 2,854 to 3,048—but parallel rises in male admissions stretched the gap from 8,164 to 8,724.
- By 2024, despite female admissions holding steady above 3,000, the gap crossed 9,000 for the first time.
- In 2025, even as female intake reached a seven-year high of 3,247, the gender gap peaked at 9,153 candidates, with women making up roughly one-fifth of the total intake.
Global Context and UNESCO's Concerns
This Indian trend aligns with global patterns highlighted by UNESCO. Worldwide, women represent less than one-third of researchers, a structural concern that affects the quality, relevance, and impact of scientific innovation. UNESCO data shows that while young women are more likely than young men to enroll in higher education overall—46% compared to 40%—they account for only 35% of science graduates. Just one in three scientific researchers globally is a woman, and men continue to dominate private-sector research roles in most countries.
UNESCO has particularly emphasized the importance of women's participation in emerging and critical fields such as quantum science and water sciences, where early-stage gaps can have long-term consequences for scientific advancement and societal benefit.
Institute-Wise Variations and Broader Implications
A closer examination of individual IITs reveals some variation, though the overarching trend remains consistent. IIT Madras has consistently recorded the highest absolute number and proportion of female students among the five, with female intake rising from 519 in 2018 to 1,173 in 2025. IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi also show steady increases, admitting 721 and 767 women respectively in 2025.
However, IIT Kanpur and IIT Kharagpur have seen slower growth in female numbers, with admissions remaining under 300 in several years. Crucially, across all five institutions, male admissions continue to dominate annually. Even at IIT Madras, where women's participation is comparatively stronger, the gap remains substantial because male intake has expanded alongside female admissions rather than being offset by them.
Admissions to all IITs are conducted through the Joint Entrance Examination, one of India's most competitive exams, making IIT intake patterns a valuable proxy for understanding access to elite STEM education. The persistent gender gap at these premier institutions signals broader challenges in achieving equity in science and technology education, despite measurable increases in female enrollment.
