In partnership with AISECT, Sattva Knowledge Institute launched the report Unlocking Potential: Financial Aid as a Catalyst for Girls’ STEM Success through a webinar, followed by a panel discussion. The session explored financial barriers girls face in studying science in higher secondary school and discussed actionable solutions. Watch the recording here.
Setting the Context
The study surveyed 4,763 girls across Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan. Despite 71% of respondents naming science as their favourite subject, only 27% had opted for it in higher secondary school. Financial challenges played a major role: 59% reported being constrained by costs.
The study uncovered both direct and hidden expenses tied to pursuing science: tuition fees, coaching, digital infrastructure, transportation, books, and mentorship. Poor awareness of career options and limited role models further discouraged girls from choosing science. Despite the availability of over 143 government scholarship schemes with an annual budget of ₹1,200 crores, only 29% of surveyed girls were aware of any, and only 23% had applied for any financial aid.
Beyond financial hurdles, the study pointed to weak STEM infrastructure and rote learning as additional obstacles, especially when intersected with caste, class, and regional inequalities.
To evaluate the need for financial support, the study introduced four student personas:
- Trailblazers: High aspiration, high competency, high financial need
- Sustainers: High aspiration, high competency, low financial need
- Aspirers: High aspiration, low competency, high financial need
- Disengaged: Low aspiration, low competency, low financial need
These personas call for long-term, personalised financial and non-financial support that addresses more than just tuition—such as mentorship, exposure, counselling, and guidance.
Moderated by Arjun Bahadur, the panel included Shilpi Varshney (Project Director, AISECT), Dr. Jigna Nawani (Senior Program Director, Piramal Foundation), Seema Kumar (Deputy Director, Smile Foundation) and Yogesh Bhat (Co-founder and SVP, Masai School).
Seema Kumar echoed the study’s findings: low awareness, societal pressures, and financial hurdles continue to hinder science enrolment. She shared the Smile Foundation’s initiatives to improve awareness and foster supportive environments for girls. Shilpi Varshney stressed that many girls equate science with only a few professions, limiting aspiration. She highlighted poor financial literacy as a barrier to scholarship access and proposed:
- Leveraging financial inclusion kiosks for simplified applications
- Conducting state-level awareness campaigns
- Using blended learning to reach Trailblazers and Aspirers
- Integrating career guidance with existing infrastructure
Dr. Nawani emphasised that scholarships must be designed for inclusivity, not just merit. First-generation learners and students from marginalised communities require support based on context, not just performance. Her suggestions included community engagement to remove stigma, improving safety, transport, and menstrual hygiene facilities, supporting non-traditional STEM pathways like ITIs and polytechnics, and digitising application-to-disbursement processes for transparency. Yogesh Bhat challenged the traditional view of STEM as academic, arguing for skill-based pathways to tech careers. He advocated for tech-enabled scholarship marketplaces, funding essential resources like laptops, and expanding the STEM definition to include digital skills and bootcamps.
The discussion yielded five major insights for funders, policymakers, and implementers:
- Need-Based Financial Aid
Generic funding models don’t work. Support must reflect students’ financial backgrounds, academic standing, and aspirations. - Improve Awareness and Access
Many girls lack knowledge about STEM careers and scholarships. Simplifying access—digitally and through community channels—is essential. - Support Beyond Tuition
Effective aid covers coaching, devices, internet access, transport, and mentorship—not just school fees. - Invest in Role Models and Mentors
Girls need exposure to relatable female figures in STEM to inspire and guide their journeys. - Address Systemic Barriers
Social norms, patriarchal attitudes, and bureaucratic processes restrict girls’ participation. Community-driven change and inclusive policies are key.
The webinar was part of Sattva and AISECT’s continued efforts to increase the number of girls pursuing science in higher secondary education and, eventually, STEM careers. The event highlighted that enabling girls’ success in STEM is not just about removing financial roadblocks – it is about recognising and supporting their full potential through a systemic, inclusive, and long-term lens.
