Building inclusive scientific ecosystems challenge and necessity in India: Prof. Ajay Sood

New Delhi, May 29 Building inclusive scientific ecosystems is both a challenge and a necessity in India with its demographic diversity and socio-economic complexity, said Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) Prof. Ajay Sood.

He was speaking at a high-level meeting convened in the national to discuss the operationalisation of the Self-Assessment and Reporting Framework on inclusivity in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (inclusivity-STEMM-SARF).

The PSA stated the significance of having a STEMM ecosystem that will help address the nuanced gaps that exist with respect to inclusivity.

“Inclusivity in STEMM is not just a moral imperative, but also a scientific and developmental one. Diverse perspectives drive better innovation, more relevant research, and equitable outcomes,” said Prof. Sood.

“In the Indian context, with our demographic diversity and socio-economic complexity, building inclusive scientific ecosystems is both a challenge and a necessity,” he added.

The framework, along with gender equity, also talks about critical aspects such as socio-economic, linguistic, and epistemic diversity, etc., while also delving into critical dimensions such as just, ethical, and open science.

“While the principles of inclusivity are globally acknowledged, their implementation is highly uneven, varying by country, sector, and discipline. India’s unique socio-cultural context compels us to develop a more deliberate and locally rooted model of inclusivity in STEMM,” said Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, at the Office of the PSA.

Dr. Maini also emphasised the need for a structured, integrated, and measurable approach, something that can enable institutions to assess themselves, benchmark progress, and identify gaps. This is what led to the inception of the inclusivity-STEMM-SARF.

Recognising the unique characteristics of India’s STEMM ecosystem, the framework moves beyond a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. It draws from global best practices while tailoring them to India's specific needs through both conceptual and contextual understanding.

Other experts underscored the importance of developing a structured capacity-building module around the proposed framework and embedding it within the governance architecture.

They emphasised that the framework for inclusivity in the STEMM ecosystem goes beyond representation, aiming to foster institutional excellence.

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