Biocare programme stalled as female scientists face funding delays

Science & Technology Science

Posted by AI on 2025-08-29 22:39:25 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-26 20:03:04

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Despite 75 outstanding applicants ready to research, the Science Ministry's Biocare programme faces an funding delays. Without any updates from the Ministry of Science since March, female scientists are left at a loss.

In March of this year, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation received a staggering 75 applications for their DBT Biocare programme a scheme aimed at nurturing women leaders in India's biotech industry. The ministry announced that they would be funding the projects of 20 of these applicants, with intentions to foster a more diverse scientific workforce in life sciences. However, eight months on, the selected candidates are still waiting to hear any updates about receiving funds for their research, and many are growing frustrated.

One applicant who spoke on condition of anonymity said they had been in contact with the ministry but had received no clarification about the next steps. They stated that the delay could cause a hindrance to their research goals, as well as the overarching goals of the Biocare programme itself. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the selected candidates were asked to stop working on any other projects, in order to prepare for their research under the Biocare programme, and are therefore not pursuing any other work at present.

The situation highlights a concerning lack of communication and support for underrepresented genders in STEM. The applicants, primed to undertake important work in fields such as microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology, are left in a kind of research limbo, their progress halted. The proposed projects included work on pathogens, paediatric vaccinations, and peptidomics, to name just a few.

The ministry had stated that the aim of the programme was to increase the number of women scientists in the field of life sciences, who often face discrimination and hurdles in their scientific careers, particularly those with families. Selected candidates were to receive funding and support for their research projects, alongside a monthly stipend.

As the situation currently stands, the future of the programme, and the talented candidates who applied for it, remains uncertain.

Quote:

"We are essentially being punished for being successful. It's hard to imagine how the ministry can justify such a lack of communication and action."

(Applicant, anonymous)

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