Flexi hours for women scientists in DST-aided institutions

New Delhi, Mar 8 (UNI) All 23 institutions aided by the Department of Science and Technology will have flexible working hours for women scientists having children up to the age of three years.

Announcing this on the International Women's Day today, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said his Ministry would allocate funds for setting up state-of-the-art creche facilities and support the construction of women's residential blocks in all the aided institutions.

The Ministry would also provide a research grant of up to Rs ten lakh per annum for five years for young women scientists who are associates of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), he said.

Admitting that gender equality would not be achieved by such measures alone, Mr Sibal called for creating conditions for an increase in the number of women scientists in positions of excellence and leadership.

''We must stop rewarding only one of the sexes. We must create a competitive, yet cooperative, gender inclusive, knowledge-based society,'' he said at the inauguration of the National Conference of Women Scientists.

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