Women outnumber Men in Languages; Men Dominate in Hard Sciences: AISHE Report

All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2016-17 report pointed that more women are dropping out from hard sciences after completing their Post Graduate (PG) degree. Unlike men, women are not evincing interest to pursue Ph.D. in hard sciences. The most surprising fact revealed by AISHE is that most men had completed their Ph.D. degree in the courses where women at Post Graduate level outnumbered them.

According to the report, out of 6,756 students enrolled for Ph.D. in Chemistry course, 61.93% (4,203) were men and 38% (2,583) women. Interestingly, the same course, i.e., Chemistry enrolled 43.7% of men at PG level and 57% women. The women outnumbered men in science courses at PG level, indicated the report.

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Similarly, men outnumbered women in Ph.D. Mathematics. Out of 3,335 students enrolled in Ph.D. Mathematics, 57% were men. However, the number of women was more at PG level for Mathematics course.

A total number of 37,363 students enrolled in the Ph.D. course in science stream including Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry.

As far as the proportion of men in mechanical engineering course is concerned, 91.3% of men dominated the stream by taking up the Ph.D. course.

Computer Science engineering also enrolled over 60% of men at Ph.D. level. However, women dominated men at PG level.

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The scenario in Language stream is highly different. Women outnumber men in Ph.D. English. Out of 2,609 students enrolled in Ph.D. in English, over 57% were women. Similarly, 60% women enrolled for Ph.D. in French Language. The report also revealed that most women take up English at Post Graduate level.