MIT Records 49.5% Women in Mechanical Engineering; India Must Follow Example
- MIT studies the reasons behind gender gap and methods to boost gender diversity in technical courses.
- The institute recorded 49.5% Women in Mechanical Engineering breaking stereotypes that there are few women in technical courses.
India is leagues behind in ensuring that women get proper education. Despite various efforts, the number of women enrolling for higher education in India remains way below the expected count. Out of the total female population in India, only 30% women register for higher education.
As for engineering, the number of women pursuing technical education is even fewer. Mechanical engineering, Civil Engineering and similar other branches are considered to have the least number of female students or none at all across the worlds.
This has also given rise to the belief that these branches of engineering are not suitable for women. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has broken all stereotypes and has recorded an increase in its Mechanical Engineering programme.
One of the best engineering institutes in the world, MIT comprised 49.5% women in its mechanical Engineering course as of fall 2016. The institute is also conducting a study to find out more about gender diversity boosters. This study, if utilised fully, can be very helpful for India in reducing the gender gap.
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Following are the methods employed by MIT to increase gender diversity:
Gender Parity as a recruitment tool: The institute showcased the number of females enrolled at MIT campus through blogs and Campus Preview Weekend. This helped the institute in attracting more female applicants.
Female Faculty as Existence Proof: In the study, MIT also evaluated those female students look up to women in the leadership positions to draw inspiration and motivation to perform better. The institute also noticed that having more female professors and administrators helped the female students to relate to the field and envisage a career in the respective field.
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The institute further added that the first step in ensuring that the gender gap is closed is to accept that there is a gender gap at technical institutes. The study at MIT added that acceptance and subtle changes can slowly reduce the gender gap at technical and engineering institutes.