IIT Bombay Launches WINGS Scholarship for Women in STEM

In a significant move to boost female representation in science and technology, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has launched the WINGS (Women INspiring Growth in STEM) Scholarship, offering 100% tuition fee support to eligible undergraduate women students beginning in the 2026–27 academic session.

The initiative comes at a time when India is working to increase women’s participation in high-demand STEM disciplines such as engineering, data science, AI, research, and applied technology. Although women have shown academic excellence in these fields, financial constraints and limited access to resources often prevent many from pursuing these programs.

The WINGS scholarship is funded by IIT Bombay alumni Bharat Desai and Neerja Sethi, who have a long-standing commitment to social upliftment and educational equity. Their vision is to ensure that young women with talent and ambition are not held back by economic or regional barriers.

A unique feature of the scholarship is its focus on inclusivity. Priority will be given to students coming from rural areas, low-income families, and underrepresented communities. By covering tuition costs entirely, IIT Bombay hopes to open doors for first-generation learners and girls who would otherwise miss the opportunity to study at one of India’s most prestigious institutes.

IIT Bombay Director Professor Shireesh Kedare emphasized that the scholarship represents much more than financial support. Along with full tuition, the program is expected to connect students with mentorship opportunities, research guidance, leadership training, and industry exposure.

The scholarship initiative is part of a larger movement to address gender imbalance within STEM institutions in India. While women have made progress in medicine and biological sciences, their presence in fields like mechanical engineering, computer science, robotics, and aerospace remains relatively low. Initiatives like WINGS aim to reverse that trend by encouraging enrollment and long-term career growth.

Education experts and women’s rights advocates have praised IIT Bombay’s decision, stating that it aligns with India’s long-term goals of innovation, equality, and global competitiveness. They believe that empowering more women in STEM will contribute not only to academia, but also to research, entrepreneurship, sustainability projects, defence innovation, and policy leadership.

If successful, the WINGS scholarship may inspire other IITs, NITs, and engineering institutions across the country to initiate similar support systems. With applications opening soon, the program is expected to draw significant interest from aspiring women engineers and technologists nationwide.