This study critically examines the implementation of the Supernumerary Seat Scheme launched in 2018 which created additional seats for girl candidates in IITs, to increase the representation of girls in elite engineering institutes in India. We analyze publicly available documents to unpack the new algorithm used to allocate seats to candidates from different genders in the wake of the policy change. Our study presents one of the first rigorous evaluations of the scheme, and in doing so highlights the urgent need for improved communication on the objectives, implementation and impact of the scheme.

Negative marking in high stake competitive examinations is used as a tool to identify true ability or academic rigour of young aspirants across the globe. However, it may affect choices of groups systematically due to inherent differences in willingness to omit, willingness to guess, risk aversion, loss aversion and confidence levels. In a lab experiment setup, we randomise a negative marking scheme in an individual level quiz to be performed within a limited time. Experiment also captures participants’ loss aversion degree, self-perception and confidence level. This experiment will help us in understanding systematic non-academic differences in exam taking behaviour by gender having implications for exam setting.

Affirmative action has emerged as an important policy tool for social inclusion of the historically marginalised groups in the post independence era. However, it generates contestable claims that the socially desirable outcomes come at the cost of merit. In our ongoing empirical study, we make use of students’ academic performance to investigate some of the finer implications of supernumerary for women. In particular, we look at 1.) shifts in the JEE rank, SGPA and CGPA distribution of men and women, 2.) social inclusion of SC/ST women, 3) causal impact of gender diversity on academic performance through peer effects, pre and post the supernumerary scheme. Our preliminary results debunk some of the myths associated with affirmative action.

This paper evaluates gender differences in academic citations for peer-reviewed journal articles among faculty members at IIT Delhi. Using available data of publications of all peer-reviewed articles, we examine the extent and the reasons behind the gender citation gap. This study will help us understand the barriers affecting women as they navigate their way through the academic ladder, and thus has the potential to inform policy changes that allow women to fulfil their research potential.

Through this lab-in-the-field experiment design, we aim to induce role model effects by randomizing exposure to the profiles of successful IIT Delhi alumni across subjects in varied gender proportions. Our objective is to evaluate if the presence of same gender role models in the information brochure changes the aspiration and motivation level of the subjects by examining the content of the cover letter (using AI techniques like Natural Language Processing) and rank of colleges/companies selected at the end of the cover letter writing workshop. The objective of our study is to come up with a low-cost intervention that addresses lack of aspirations and chilly climate concerns and encourages more women to aspire for advanced STEM careers.

Throughout one’s life cycle, either as a student or as a professional, an individual has to work in teams that are not formulated by them. We investigate gender differences in self-selection of students into team leader roles, assertiveness and collusive/incompatible behaviour and whether team composition by gender has an impact on this behaviour, by randomizing team composition in a group task. This study will help us in understanding the dynamics of gender gaps and differences in the positions of responsibility (PoR) or leadership.