WISE-KIRAN Statistics: Women Scientists Supported and Funds by Year
· 1 min read · 4 official sources
The Women Scientist Scheme under WISE-KIRAN supported 4,419 women between May 2014 and October 2025, against 2,713 before 2014, according to the Science and Technology Ministry. DST spent Rs 77.59 crore on WISE-KIRAN in 2024-25. Year-wise funding and state-wise beneficiary counts are below.
WISE-KIRAN (Women in Science and Engineering - KIRAN): key numbers
Infographic
WISE-KIRAN funds allocated or used, 2020-21 to 2024-25
Funds allocated or utilised under DST's WISE-KIRAN scheme in each of the last five years, as given in a Rajya Sabha reply of 20 March 2025.
| Year | Funds (Rs crore) |
|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 95.00 |
| 2021-22 | 96.80 |
| 2022-23 | 79.71 |
| 2023-24 | 79.72 |
| 2024-25 | 77.59 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 20 March 2025
WISE-KIRAN beneficiaries in the top 12 states (2022-23 to 2024-25)
Women supported under DST WISE-KIRAN in each year, for the 12 states with the most beneficiaries in 2024-25.
| State | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 26 | 24 | 52 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 17 | 16 | 44 |
| Maharashtra | 20 | 11 | 41 |
| Tamil Nadu | 20 | 18 | 39 |
| Kerala | 19 | 6 | 36 |
| Telangana | 19 | 12 | 34 |
| West Bengal | 16 | 14 | 34 |
| Karnataka | 16 | 11 | 24 |
| Assam | 5 | 3 | 17 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 11 | 6 | 17 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| Punjab | 12 | 8 | 16 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 20 March 2025
How a WISE-KIRAN fellowship is awarded
What the numbers show
WISE-KIRAN is the Department of Science and Technology's umbrella for women in science, covering fellowships for women returning after a career break, PhD and post-doctoral research, and training in intellectual property. Figures released on 28 November 2025 show that the Women Scientist Scheme supported 4,419 women between May 2014 and October 2025, compared with 2,713 before 2014.
Funding over five years
DST's spending on WISE-KIRAN peaked at Rs 96.80 crore in 2021-22 and has since stayed between Rs 77.59 crore and Rs 79.72 crore a year, with Rs 77.59 crore in 2024-25. The figures come from a Rajya Sabha reply of 20 March 2025. A later Lok Sabha reply in July 2025 gave slightly different numbers for 2020-21 and 2021-22, so treat those two years with some care.
State differences
In 2024-25, Delhi had the most beneficiaries at 52, followed by Uttar Pradesh (44), Maharashtra (41) and Tamil Nadu (39). Southern states such as Kerala, Telangana and Karnataka also do well, reflecting their many universities and research institutes. Several north-eastern states had only a handful, and some years show zero.
Numbers jumped in 2024-25 in most states. Kerala went from 6 to 36, Uttar Pradesh from 16 to 44 and Madhya Pradesh from 1 to 16. Around this time the old Women Scientist Scheme was restructured into the new WISE-PhD, WISE-PDF and WISE-SCOPE programmes, though the Ministry has not linked the two.
What the figures do not tell you
The state table counts women supported in each year, not unique women over several years, because one fellowship can run for three to five years. The national figure of 4,419 covers the Women Scientist Scheme and may not include every WISE-KIRAN component, such as Vigyan Jyoti, which is counted separately.
Where to check the latest numbers
DST lists WISE-KIRAN calls and results on dst.gov.in. New totals usually come through PIB releases of parliamentary replies.
Frequently asked questions
How many women scientists has WISE-KIRAN supported?
The Women Scientist Scheme supported 4,419 women between May 2014 and October 2025, and 2,713 before 2014, according to figures released by the Science and Technology Minister on 28 November 2025.
How much does the government spend on WISE-KIRAN?
DST spent or allocated Rs 77.59 crore on WISE-KIRAN in 2024-25, down from Rs 96.80 crore in 2021-22, as per a Rajya Sabha reply of 20 March 2025.
Which state has the most WISE-KIRAN beneficiaries?
Delhi had the most in 2024-25 with 52 women supported, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 44 and Maharashtra with 41.
Did the number of WISE-KIRAN beneficiaries rise in 2024-25?
In most large states, yes. Delhi went from 24 in 2023-24 to 52 in 2024-25, Uttar Pradesh from 16 to 44 and Kerala from 6 to 36.
Why do some sources show different funding figures?
A Lok Sabha reply of 23 July 2025 gave Rs 79.1 crore for 2020-21 and Rs 95.0 crore for 2021-22, which differs from the March 2025 reply used here. The figures for 2023-24 and 2024-25 match.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: WISE-KIRAN (Women in Science and Engineering - KIRAN) full guide
Charts, data files and the infographic are free to download, share and embed with a link back to this page.
Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2196065)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2113278)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2147237)
- dst.gov.in (dst.gov.in/scientific-programmes/wise-kiran)