It’s not uncommon to hear stories about women across India who had to abandon their careers after marriage or having a child. At the same time, we have come across stories of women in police or armed forces who tackle job pressure while nurturing their kids. And then, there are stories of comeback: people who refuse to give up on their dreams, come what may.
With more and more women joining the workforce and taking leadership roles, one thing is clear– women are proving that “household responsibilities” cannot hold them back in their careers or prevent them from chasing their dreams. In fact, “family” is becoming their source of strength and not weakness.
Meet Dr. Amita Kumari, a Ph.D. in chemistry from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Amita, had to leave her Senior Research Fellowship at ICMR to take care of her daughter.
According to the details provided by the Ministry of Science & Technology, she bounced back in her career as a Patent Associate (Science) in one of India’s leading IPR firms. And she narrates that after getting selected for the Women Scientist Scheme (WOS-C), she is able to get the opportunity to join mainstream science once again.
“After completing my Ph.D. (Chemistry), despite having worked in reputed institutions of India like CSIR, CCRAS (Ministry of AYUSH), ICMR, and IPC (Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission), I could not pursue my career as a scientist due to family responsibilities. The WOS-C programme gave me the opportunity to join the mainstream of science once again,” she added.
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WHAT IS WOMEN SCIENTIST SCHEME (WOS-C): SELECTION, STIPEND AND MORE DETAILS
The Women Scientists Scheme (WOS-C) by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) is launched to provide opportunities to women scientists who desire to return to mainstream science and work in the area of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
As per the official website, “WOS-C scheme aims to train women having qualifications in science/ engineering / medicine or allied areas in the area of IPR and their management for a period of one year. The training will allow them to work from their homes and thus maintain a good balance between professional and domestic demands.”
The scheme is being implemented by the Patent Facilitating Centre (PFC) of Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC) on behalf of DST.
As for the selection, it is done through an all India online examination and interview. Shortlisted candidates meeting the eligibility criteria will be called for the online test. More details can be found on this website. http://115.112.95.114/wosc/online/aboutwosc.jsp
The stipend starts from Rs 25,000 per month. The training includes one month of intensive orientation programme on IPR at New Delhi followed by specialised workshops and hands-on-training in agencies engaged in practising IPR for the rest of the period. “Total duration of the training is one year. A certificate is issued to the candidates after completion of the training,” it added.
DR AMITA KUMARI FOCUSES ON PHARMACEUTICALS, CHEMICALS, AND NANO-TECHNOLOGY
Having completed her training under the “11th Batch of WOS-C fellowship” she has been practicing drafting, filing, and prosecuting across jurisdictions and forums like Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), European Patent Office (EPO), Japan Patent Office (JPO), United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Her areas of patent operations include Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, and Nano-Technology.
As per the Ministry of Science & Technology, she has also worked with Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), Russian governmental agency in charge of intellectual property Rospatent, Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) and Australian patents (AusPat).
“Selection in the programme was a turning point in my life. During WOS-C training, I received substantial exposure in handling a huge range of patent applications. I needed to prioritise my responsibilities towards my family. Balancing career and family simultaneously was quite challenging. KIRAN-IPR selection under the WOS-C programme gave me the opportunity. WOS-C training boosted my confidence and helped me to nurture my dream, to be a successful IPR Professional,” she added.
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