IIT Delhi is selected to implement the Department of Science and Technology’s pilot project, Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI), awarded to 30 higher education STEM institutions in India. GATI seeks to bring about institutional reforms to facilitate intake, advancement and retention of women in STEM at all levels.

Equity, diversity and inclusion are the guiding principles of GATI, aligning with our Institute’s new Office of Diversity and Inclusion. GATI provides us with an opportunity to move faster towards making our policies, processes and practices more gender and diversity sensitive. As an Institute of Eminence, we hope to take a leadership role for transformative change.

On behalf of IIT Delhi, the Director has signed the GATI Charter. The Charter is inspired by the UK’s Athena SWAN Charter for gender equality - a systemic change initiative founded in 2005 to positively impact cultural change and values in higher education and research. A version of the Charter currently operates in the USA, Ireland, Australia and Canada. IIT Delhi is partnered with the University College of London (UCL) to advise, support, and guide us in implementing this project.

GATI leadership team consists of the Director and a steering group called the GATI Self-Assessment Team (GSAT). The GSAT is made up of senior administrators and a number of working groups. These groups comprise members of the institute community, including students, staff, and faculty, at various levels and with a diverse gender representation.

GSAT will undertake an extensive review and evaluation of the Institute’s policies, plans, programmes, and procedures through the gender lens. They will also conduct interviews, surveys and focused group discussions for understanding the barriers to advancement and organisational culture. Through this 18-month project, beginning from August 2021, IIT Delhi has committed to undertaking a structured self-assessment and creating action plans based on the Gender Equity Indicator Framework (GEIF), which is evolved by the DST’s WISE-KIRAN division.

Initiative for Gender Equity and Sensitisation (IGES) will spearhead the implementation of the project under the direction of GSAT. Prof. Ravinder Kaur as nodal officer and Prof. Narayanan Kurur as project PI, along with other IGES members, will reach out to the administration and other colleagues for support and facilitation. If you would like to share your lived experiences (anonymised and protected) or suggest ideas for transformative change, please write to IGES at iges@iitd.ac.in. We look forward to your contributions.

Official Notification with further details of the Project : Click Here

Pilot Selection Letter :  Click Here

Read more about GATI : Click Here