1.                  May like to obtain a brief on the proceedings of the Conference from the organizers and comment upon the outcomes and recommendations. Opening ambit as appropriate.

2.                   I see from the programme that you have just had the good fortune of listening to successful women entrepreneurs who have not only done women proud but India too.  The nation salutes you! 

3.                  I understand that the organizers have truly kept you busy  all through the conference but then I am sure it has been a rewarding experience for all of you here – learning of the challenges and pitfalls and the approaches and  methodologies adopted to overcome them successfully.

4.                  Before coming here, I had an opportunity to quickly browse through the ILO Report, ‘Global Employment Trends for Women – 2008’ released a couple of days ago.  It makes an interesting reading and I would like to share with you all a little of what I had read.  It indicates that in absolute numbers worldwide there are equal number of women and men (above the age of 15 years) i.e. about 2.4 billion each but in India that ratio as you know is distorted in favour of men.  But thereafter, the trend changes.  Of all employed, the ratio is 60% men and 40% women.  I can well appreciate that in India a portion of the employment gap, even in science and technology, can be attributed to the fact that many educated women choose to stay at home out of their own volition to raise the family and for other social reasons.  This has been brought out in the INSA Report of 2004 which shows that although the percentage of women PhDs, in softer sciences like life science and chemistry, was nearly 50%, their employment was  not at the same level!  This needs to be viewed against the backdrop that while women enrollment in science at the University level is steadily approaching the 50% mark, up from less than 40% ten years ago, those seeking employment is often not at the same level albeit it has improved but not to the desired extent.

5.                  But I believe that the emergence of ICT and life sciences is changing that these have contributed greatly to providing a more level playing field for women in employment opportunities.  The percentage of women workers in several of the service sector activities is presently nearer to that of men.  Women in these sectors are being hired preferentially as a part of strategic business planning of corporates due to their innate strength – a sort of reverse gender bias, if I may say so.  I believe that the percentage of women in these sectors is set to rise even farther in the coming years as young educated women of today see the meaningful role models that you present here are for them. 

6.                  Today, more educated young women, including housewives are joining the workforce due to the progressive and flexible HR policies in the corporate sector.  We too in the Ministry are endeavouring our very best to create a level playing field for women in science.  I have dwelt on these in my earlier address.  I am happy to say that the Department of Science and Technology was amongst the first few to set up a ‘Gender Budgeting Cell’ to ensure that the stipulated 30% of the Plan budget was devoted to women’s programmes.  DST has been acclaimed for its progressive approach and I have instructed other Departments in the two Ministries that I head to emulate and adopt the DST model.  I am sure you will not find us amiss in our endeavours. 

7.                  Also, you will agree that the expansion of women participation in the educated workforce has changed their socio-economic status and contributed to the breakdown of the age-old prejudicial business and cultural practices that had created a glass ceiling for them.  My expectation is that by the next Women’s Day, we shall see several more women joining the top echelons of S&T leadership in our institutes.