As India moves toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy by 2032, STEM skills will be critical to the future workforce, with nearly 80% of new jobs expected to require them. Yet women remain significantly underrepresented in STEM fields. The gap is even more pronounced in the region, where women constitute just 4% of the STEM workforce. Early marriage, high rates of anemia, limited access to quality STEM instruction, inadequate laboratory infrastructure, and deeply entrenched gender norms continue to restrict girls’ aspirations and agency.

To address these challenges, NEAID, in partnership with UNICEF, is implementing the STEM for Girls Program across marginalised communities in eight districts of Assam. The program works with girls in Grades 6–9 through Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) and nearby government schools, integrating STEM education with life-skills development. Grounded in rigorous needs assessments and co-created with teachers and State Resource Groups, the curriculum is evidence-based, locally relevant, and age-appropriate.

Girls participate in hands-on, project-based learning, STEM lab sessions, and community hackathons that build confidence, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Field implementation is led by NEAID fellows in close collaboration with schools and district authorities, collectively enabling girls to imagine, prepare for, and pursue futures in STEM on their own terms.