AI wearables for PCOS and endometriosis
With an ANRF Early Career Research Grant, Dr Divya Tripathi is developing an AI-enabled wearable to help diagnose and manage polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis.
How UPES contributes to gender equality
At UPES, gender equality is built into who gets to study, who gets to lead and how safe everyone feels. The university funds and mentors women students, trains women employees for leadership, backs fair policies with trained committees and practical support for parents, researches the issues that hold women back, and works with women and girls in the villages around Dehradun.
5,000+scholarships for girls offered, 2020–2022
50%of merit scholarships reserved for women
26 weeksof fully paid maternity leave
1,200women supported with menstrual health
625+rural women trained in livelihoods
We open doors for women students
Shakti scholarships, mentoring and free online MBA places bring more women into higher education.
We develop women leaders
Leadership programmes prepare women employees for management and senior roles.
We keep everyone safe
Clear policies, an Internal Complaints Committee and yearly training protect students and staff from harassment and discrimination.
We support working parents
Paid maternity, paternity and adoption leave, creches on both campuses and safe travel make work and family easier to combine.
We research what holds women back
UPES research covers women's health, financial inclusion, enterprise and access to justice.
We reach women and girls nearby
Health, education and livelihood programmes change daily life for women and girls in nearby villages and schools.
1Research on women's health and equality
UPES researchers work on health problems that affect women most, study women's finances, enterprise and work, and examine the barriers to justice and equality that women face.
Impact
UPES research takes on the health, money and justice problems that hold women back.
45gender equality research publications
460citations to these papers
10.2citations per paper
1ANRF grant for an AI wearable for PCOS and endometriosis
- A low-cost, portable device screens for cervical cancer in remote areas where women have little access to hospitals.
- Research on digital financial literacy and self-help groups shows how women can gain more control over money.
- A student study on why sexual assault goes unreported in India was presented at India HCI 2023.
What the research covers
Number of papers on each theme (a paper can appear under more than one).
| Theme | Papers |
|---|---|
| Rights, safety and gender equality | 17 |
| Women's financial inclusion and literacy | 10 |
| Women's entrepreneurship and self-help groups | 8 |
| Education and digital skills | 8 |
| Gender at work and in leadership | 7 |
| Women's health | 7 |
Most cited work on women and gender
- Modelling the critical success factors of women entrepreneurship using fuzzy AHP framework[35] (Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 2018), cited 76 times.
- Digital Financial Literacy and Its Impact on Financial Decision-Making of Women: Evidence from India[36] (Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 2024), cited 75 times.
- A systematic review of investment confidence, risk appetite and dependence status of women[37] (International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, 2024), cited 45 times.
- Financial well-being of women self-help group members: a qualitative study[38] (Environment, Development and Sustainability, 2025), cited 36 times.
- Shades & shines of gender equality with respect to sustainable development goals (SDGs): The environmental performance perspectives[39] (Total Environment Research Themes, 2023), cited 29 times.
The full list of publications, with links, is in the annexure.
Research spotlights
Cervical cancer screening women can reach
Reema Rawat and Prof Ashish Mathur developed a low-cost, portable DST-funded device to screen for cervical cancer in remote areas, and an aptasensor to detect the HER-2 breast cancer marker.
Women, food and nutrition
Dr Shikha Saxena studies how household food security shapes the nutrition of women in low-income urban communities, and leads nutrition outreach in the community.
Why sexual assault goes unreported
At India HCI 2023, hosted by UPES, a student presented a paper on the underreporting of sexual assault in India in the Women in HCI track.
2Women students
UPES uses scholarships, outreach and tracking to bring more women into higher education.
Impact
UPES opens doors to higher education for women through scholarships, mentoring and careful tracking of their progress.
5,000+scholarships for girls offered, 2020–2022
50%of merit scholarships reserved for women since 2022
1,000tuition-free online MBA places for women, 2026
49schoolgirls supported by Project Payal
- Shakti scholarships combine fee support with leadership sessions, industry exposure and mentoring.
- UPES tracks applications, admissions, enrolment and graduation by gender.
- Girls from poor families in nearby villages get financial help, mentoring and time on campus.
- Shakti scholarships. Launched in 2020 to take young women "from classrooms to boardrooms", Shakti gives a tuition scholarship to girls who score above 60% in Class XII. In 2022 UPES reserved at least half of its merit scholarships for women, and girls from Uttarakhand can combine Shakti with the state domicile concession.
- More than a scholarship. Since UPES declared 2020 its Year of Women Empowerment, Shakti has combined fee support with skill-development and leadership sessions, industry exposure and close mentoring for women students.
- 1,000 Women – 1,000 Dreams. For International Women's Day 2026, UPES announced 1,000 fully tuition-free online MBA scholarships for women across India.
- Tracking progress. UPES monitors applications, admissions, enrolment and graduation by gender, including the share of women applicants and graduation outcomes.
- Daughters of UPES. Project Payal supports 49 schoolgirls from poor families in nearby villages with financial help, mentoring and time on campus.
3Women at work
UPES develops women leaders among its staff and supports working parents.
Impact
UPES builds women leaders among its own staff and makes it easier to combine work and family.
9 monthsof leadership training in each Shakti cohort
12women faculty and managers in the fourth Shakti cohort
2creches, one on each campus, for staff and students
- Super Shakti prepares women employees for business management and leadership roles.
- Women in housekeeping and other Class IV roles learn English, digital skills and their legal rights.
- The recruitment policy bans discrimination by gender, marital status or sexual orientation.
- Shakti leadership programme. Women employees receive nine months of training in adaptive skills, emotional intelligence, business communication and team management to prepare for leadership roles. The fourth cohort trained 12 women faculty members and managers.
- Super Shakti. From December 2024 to June 2025, this programme for women employees who want to grow into business management and leadership roles helped participants identify their strengths, build key competencies and confidence, with sessions led by Padmaja Korde, Roshni Patel, Yoshita Swarup Sharma, Sandeep Jain and Vansh Chopra.
- Who took part. In 2024–25, Super Shakti modules each trained 3 women faculty members and 4 women staff, and a Shakti refresher trained 6 faculty and 4 staff, alongside UPES's wider UDAAN, LEAP, SPARX, SOAR and Disha development programmes.
- Project Swavalamban. Class IV women employees, including housekeeping staff, learn English, digital skills and communication, and about their legal rights and health.
- Creches on both campuses. Child-friendly creches on the Bidholi and Kandoli campuses support staff and students with young children.
- Fair recruitment. The Recruitment and Selection Policy bans discrimination by gender, marital status or sexual orientation, among other grounds.
4Policies for women's progress and safety
UPES has clear policies and committees to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination, and makes sure women feel safe on campus.
Impact
Clear policies, trained committees and practical support help women study and work safely at UPES.
26 weeksof fully paid maternity leave
90 daysof paid adoption leave
500+new employees introduced to grievance channels, 2024 and 2025
Every yearsexual harassment prevention training for every employee
- An Internal Complaints Committee handles complaints confidentially and within set time limits.
- A gender sensitisation committee checks how safe women feel in classrooms, labs, libraries and hostels.
- Women working late or travelling on duty get safe transport home.
- Policy. The Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy covers every student and employee and bans discrimination by gender, sexual orientation and marital status.
- Internal Complaints Committee. Handles sexual harassment complaints under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013, confidentially and within set time limits.
- Prevention, Monitoring and Gender Sensitization Committee. Women faculty, a woman HR officer and two women students from each school check how safe women feel in classrooms, labs, libraries and hostels, recommend improvements such as better lighting, and work with the Dehradun Police Women Cell.
- Transgender inclusion. The Anti-Discrimination Cell and the Recruitment and Selection Policy protect transgender students and staff from discrimination on grounds including gender and sexual orientation.
- Maternity leave. Women employees get up to 26 weeks of fully paid maternity leave for up to two children, as the Maternity Benefit Act requires, which can be extended by up to six months. There is six weeks of paid leave after a miscarriage, and mothers returning to work get two nursing breaks a day until their child is 15 months old.
- Paternity and adoption leave. Fathers get 15 days of paternity leave, which can be split, within 30 days of a birth or adoption. Adoptive mothers and single fathers get 90 days of paid adoption leave.
- Childcare. Employees with children under six can use the day-care facility on campus, and mothers may visit to care for their children. The creches on the Bidholi and Kandoli campuses are also available to students with young children.
- Safe travel for women staff. Women working after 7:30 pm get a cab home, and women travelling on duty at odd hours get pick-up and drop by UPES cab and, if needed, an extra night's hotel stay.
- Safe to report. UPES's Code of Conduct requires reports of misconduct to be treated confidentially and promises complete protection to complainants against retaliation, and the leave policy forbids discrimination against anyone for using their leave entitlements.
- Training every year. Prevention of sexual harassment training is mandatory for every employee and every Internal Complaints Committee member, held each year face to face and online, and covers the PoSH Act, workplace conduct, reporting and redressal. New employees are also introduced to grievance channels at their HR induction, which reached more than 500 joiners in 2024 and 2025. In addition, the Internal Complaints Committee runs gender sensitisation workshops for staff, new hires and students. Awareness workshops reach interns too.
- Women's groups. The policy sets up women's groups within the university to build a supportive workplace and spot concerns early.
- Easy and fair to complain. Complaints can be made in writing, orally with help from a committee member, or anonymously in a sealed envelope; late complaints can still be heard; a committee member who is connected to a case steps aside; and no settlement may involve money.
- Health care for women. Female doctors are available at the campus medical centres, and sanitary napkin vending machines are installed in girls' hostels.
5Women and girls in the community
UPES reaches women and girls around Dehradun with health, education and livelihood programmes.
Impact
UPES reaches women and girls around Dehradun with health, education and livelihood programmes that change daily life.
1,200women given reusable menstrual cups and training
1,000+girls reached by Project Sakhi in 10 schools
625+rural women trained by Project Vikalp
16government schools reached by an equality drive
- Women from the ground staff and nearby villages received menstrual cups with 90 days of follow-up.
- Body-safety sessions taught children in village schools how to stay safe.
- Livelihood projects support women artisans, weavers and self-help groups across the region.
- Ending period poverty. Project Lakhon Khawahishen, with DivIn Pro, gave reusable menstrual cups, training and 90 days of follow-up to about 1,200 women from the ground staff and villages such as Bakarna, Kharakhet, Pulsani and Dhaulas, with ASHA and Anganwadi workers volunteering.
- Girls in school. The student group GS3's Project Sakhi gave 1,200 sanitary pads and menstrual-health sessions to more than 1,000 girls in 10 government schools, and UPES ran an awareness drive on equal rights in 16 government schools.
- Keeping children safe. Under the Srijan programme, the School of Law's Legal Aid Clinic and the UPES CSR team ran "Good Touch, Bad Touch" body-safety sessions for students of government schools in Kharakhet, Misrapatti, Kandoli and Harriawala villages.
- Women's livelihoods. Project Vikalp has trained more than 625 rural women since 2015; Project Artisan supports women weavers in Ladakh; HILL builds skills and livelihoods for women across the Himalaya; and Mulya Creation, a Dehradun start-up, trains local women artisans to make eco-dyed fabric.
Events and activities
6 events on women's rights, health, safety and equality show this goal in action.
Legal conversations over chai, empowering women one discussion at a time!
On 28th Feb, UPES Dehradun’s Legal Aid Clinic hosted Chai Pe Kanooni Charcha, shedding light on crucial laws like workplace safety, domestic violence, and gender…
Gender, Curriculum, and Change: A Panel Discussion at UPES School of Law
The Gender Champions Committee of UPES School of Law hosted a thought-provoking #panel #discussion on “Gender Inclusivity and Curricula: Ideas for Reimagining and…
Breaking Barriers, Building Voices | International Colloquium on Gender & Social Justice
The International Colloquium on Gender and Social Justice, hosted by School of Liberal Studies and Media, UPES, in collaboration with the University of Bologna,…
Anemia-Free Campus: “Anemia – An Unconquered Battle”
Low hemoglobin level indicates that the person is anemic. In India, more than a half of all women at reproductive age have anemia. Failure to reduce anemia consigns…
Posh Awareness Workshop — Summer Internship 2025
Awareness is the key towards the prevention of sexual harassment. In that direction, we have conducted the awareness workshop for the interns of Summer Internship…
India HCI 2023 — Underreporting of Sexual Assault
Excited to share my experience as a Student Chair at India HCI 2023 held at UPES, Dehradun! As a student chair, I had the incredible opportunity to immerse myself in…
Our contribution to the UN SDG 5 targets
Goal 5 has nine targets agreed by the United Nations for 2030. UPES contributes to eight of them through its policies, programmes for women students and staff, research and work with women and girls in the community.
Impact
UPES activity reaches eight of the nine Goal 5 targets, with its deepest impact on ending discrimination and violence, women's leadership and women's economic empowerment.
8 of 9UN targets under Goal 5 that UPES contributes to
4targets with sustained programmes and measurable results
Where we make the biggest difference
Targets where UPES runs sustained policies and programmes with measurable results.
5.1
UN target 5.1End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
What UPES does
- A Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy covering every student and employee.
Report 4: Policies for women's progress and safety → - A recruitment policy that bans discrimination by gender, marital status or sexual orientation.
Report 3: Women at work → - An equal-rights awareness drive in 16 government schools.
Report 5: Women and girls in the community →
5.2
UN target 5.2Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls.
What UPES does
- An Internal Complaints Committee and yearly harassment-prevention training for every employee.
Report 4: Policies for women's progress and safety → - A committee that checks campus safety for women and works with the Dehradun Police Women Cell.
Report 4: Policies for women's progress and safety → - Good Touch, Bad Touch body-safety sessions in village schools.
Report 5: Women and girls in the community →
5.5
UN target 5.5Ensure women's full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership.
What UPES does
- Shakti and Super Shakti leadership programmes for women employees.
Report 3: Women at work → - Shakti scholarships that prepare women students for leadership.
Report 2: Women students →
5.a
UN target 5.aGive women equal rights to economic resources.
What UPES does
- Project Vikalp has trained more than 625 rural women in livelihoods.
Report 5: Women and girls in the community → - Research on women's financial literacy, investment and self-help groups.
Report 1: Research on women's health and equality →
Where we also contribute
Targets supported through specific facilities, projects and research.
5.4
UN target 5.4Recognise and value unpaid care work through public services and shared responsibility within the household.
What UPES does
- Creches and day care on both the Bidholi and Kandoli campuses.
Report 3: Women at work → - Paid maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and nursing breaks for returning mothers.
Report 4: Policies for women's progress and safety →
5.6
UN target 5.6Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health.
What UPES does
- Menstrual cups and training for about 1,200 women, and menstrual health sessions for more than 1,000 girls.
Report 5: Women and girls in the community → - Female doctors at campus medical centres and sanitary napkin machines in girls' hostels.
Report 4: Policies for women's progress and safety → - Research on cervical cancer screening and an AI wearable for PCOS.
Report 1: Research on women's health and equality →
5.b
UN target 5.bEnhance the use of technology to promote the empowerment of women.
What UPES does
- Digital skills for women in Class IV roles through Project Swavalamban.
Report 3: Women at work → - 1,000 tuition-free online MBA places for women.
Report 2: Women students →
5.c
UN target 5.cAdopt and strengthen sound policies for gender equality and the empowerment of women.
What UPES does
- Written policies on non-discrimination, harassment, maternity and paternity, and childcare.
Report 4: Policies for women's progress and safety → - Gender tracking of applications, admissions and graduation.
Report 2: Women students →
UN target wording is summarised. The full official text is on the United Nations SDG 5 page[44].
Indicators and where they are reported
Each SDG 5 indicator, and the report on this page that covers it.
| Indicator | Report |
|---|---|
| Research on gender equality | Report 1: Research on women's health and equality |
| Tracking women's applications, admission and graduation | Report 2: Women students |
| Policies and schemes for women's access to university | Report 2: Women students |
| Mentoring and support schemes for women students | Report 2: Women students |
| Women's mentoring and leadership schemes for staff | Report 3: Women at work |
| Childcare for staff and faculty | Report 3: Women at work |
| Non-discrimination policy for women | Report 4: Policies for progress and safety |
| Non-discrimination policy for transgender people | Report 4: Policies for progress and safety |
| Maternity and paternity policies | Report 4: Policies for progress and safety |
| Childcare for students | Report 4: Policies for progress and safety |
| Programmes for women and girls in the community | Report 5: Women and girls in the community |
Links and sources
- UPES R&D Newsletter, July–December 2025https://upeswebsitecdn-prod-hphqfhc0b8h2ffhf.a02.azurefd.net/drupal-data/2026-05/UPES%20R%26D%20News%20Letter%20July-Dec%202025.pdf
- UPES R&D Newsletter, January–June 2025https://upeswebsitecdn-prod-hphqfhc0b8h2ffhf.a02.azurefd.net/drupal-data/2025-08/UPES%20R%26D%20NewsLetter%20Jan-June%202025.pdf
- India HCI 2023: underreporting of sexual assault (LinkedIn)https://lnkd.in/p/ghF_X5xH
- UPES scholarshipshttps://www.upes.ac.in/admissions/scholarships
- Purpose: UPES social initiativeshttps://www.upes.ac.in/purpose
- How the UPES Shakti scholarship is changing lives (UPES blog)https://blog.upes.ac.in/?p=7887
- UPES merit scholarships, 50% reserved for girls (Careers360)https://news.careers360.com/upes-dehradun-offer-upto-100-merit-based-scholarship-50-reserved-for-girls
- UPES Shakti Scholarship for women (The Quint)https://www.thequint.com/amp/story/brandstudio/upes-shakti-scholarship-for-girls
- 1,000 Women – 1,000 Dreams (GUS news)https://www.globaluniversitysystems.com/news/institutions/upes-becomes-first-indian-university-to-earn-gold-sustainability-impact-certification
- Tracking women applicants (PDF)https://www.upes.ac.in/assets/pdf/SDG5/5.3/5.3.1.pdf
- Women's mentoring through Shakti (PDF)https://www.upes.ac.in/assets/pdf/SDG5/5.6/5.6.6.pdf
- Tracking women's graduation (PDF)https://www.upes.ac.in/assets/pdf/SDG5/5.6/5.6.7.pdf
- UPES Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (PDF)https://www.upes.ac.in/assets/pdf/EDI.pdf
- UPES goes the extra mile to promote gender parity (UPES blog)https://blog.upes.ac.in/?p=4767
- UPES and SDG 8https://www.upes.ac.in/sustainable-development-goals/08
- HR induction, PoSH training and leadership development, 2024–25upes-sdg5-hr-training-women-leadership.html
- Creches and support facilitiesupes-sdg5-creche-support-facilities.html
- Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy (PDF)https://upeswebsitecdn-prod-hphqfhc0b8h2ffhf.a02.azurefd.net/drupal-data/2025-04/Non-Discrimination%20and%20Anit-Harassment%20Policy.pdf
- UPES Principles of Engagement: HR policies (PDF)https://upeswebsitecdn-prod-hphqfhc0b8h2ffhf.a02.azurefd.net/drupal-data/2026-09/Upes%20PoE%2025-09-2026.pdf
- Anti-discrimination, ICC and gender sensitization committees (PDF)https://upeswebsitecdn-prod-hphqfhc0b8h2ffhf.a02.azurefd.net/drupal-data/2026-04/Anti-Discrimination%20committee.pdf
- Policy of non-discrimination against women (PDF)https://www.upes.ac.in/assets/pdf/SDG5/5.6/5.6.1.pdf
- Non-discrimination for transgender people (PDF)https://www.upes.ac.in/assets/pdf/SDG5/5.6/5.6.2.pdf
- Maternity and paternity policies (PDF)https://www.upes.ac.in/assets/pdf/SDG5/5.6/5.6.3.pdf
- UPES and SDG 5https://www.upes.ac.in/sustainable-development-goals/gender-equality
- PoSH awareness workshop for interns (LinkedIn)https://lnkd.in/p/g7XmtjV5
- UPES Health Facilities Report (PDF)https://upeswebsitecdn-prod-hphqfhc0b8h2ffhf.a02.azurefd.net/drupal-data/2026-09/UPES_Health_Facilities_Report.pdf
- DSO Community Engagement & Social Impact Report (PDF)https://upeswebsitecdn-prod-hphqfhc0b8h2ffhf.a02.azurefd.net/drupal-data/2026-09/DSO%20Impact%20Report.pdf
- How UPES is building a better world through its CSR initiativeshttps://www.upes.ac.in/blog/academic-excellence/walking-the-talk-how-upes-is-building-a-better-world-through-its-csr-initiatives
- Srijan Social Internship and GS3https://www.upes.ac.in/placements/srijan-social-internship
- UPES CSR inspires school students (Garhwal Post)https://garhwalpost.in/upes-csr-arm-inspires-school-students-to-pursue-stem-education/
- Good Touch, Bad Touch awareness (LinkedIn)https://lnkd.in/p/g8v6sipG
- Project Vikalphttps://www.upes.ac.in/social-impact/project-vikalp
- How UPES is contributing to the SDGshttps://www.upes.ac.in/blog/liberal-studies/how-upes-is-contributing-to-sdgs
- HILL projects (UPES blog)https://www.upes.ac.in/blog/academic-excellence/access-to-education-their-springboard-to-a-better-life
- Modelling the critical success factors of women entrepreneurship using fuzzy AHP frameworkhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-03-2017-0017
- Digital Financial Literacy and Its Impact on Financial Decision-Making of Women: Evidence from Indiahttps://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm17100468
- A systematic review of investment confidence, risk appetite and dependence status of womenhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s13198-024-02295-x
- Financial well-being of women self-help group members: a qualitative studyhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-04879-w
- Shades & shines of gender equality with respect to sustainable development goals (SDGs): The environmental performance perspectiveshttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.totert.2023.100082
- Legal conversations over chai, empowering women one discussion at a time! (LinkedIn post)https://www.linkedin.com/posts/upes-school-of-law-0782661a6_legalawareness-womenempowerment-chaipekanoonicharcha-activity-7305825429305638912-3lN4
- Gender, Curriculum, and Change: A Panel Discussion at UPES School of Law (LinkedIn post)https://www.linkedin.com/posts/upes-school-of-law-0782661a6_gender-curriculum-and-change-a-panel-discussion-activity-7399735043306262528-iBUF
- Breaking Barriers, Building Voices | International Colloquium on Gender & Social Justice (LinkedIn post)https://www.linkedin.com/posts/solsm-upes_international-colloquium-activity-7393695655258394624-QivG
- Anemia-Free Campus: “Anemia – An Unconquered Battle” (LinkedIn post)https://lnkd.in/p/gtB88bBv
- United Nations SDG 5 pagehttps://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal5
Annexure: gender equality research publications
The full list of UPES gender equality research publications indexed in Scopus, with a link to each paper.
67gender equality research publications
560citations to these papers
8.4citations per paper