Women in manufacturing: Inside Manesar’s Japan-India training institute

Tucked away in the lush paddy fields of Manesar, Haryana lies a two-storeyed building known as the Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM). Inside the institute, the noise of machines and tools is accompanied by students moving from one workbench to another, learning to operate equipment. Nishika, a student at JIM Manesar, practices fitting nuts and bolts, driven by her ambition to pursue a polytechnic course in manufacturing.

With the support of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., JIM Manesar is taking steps to increase female participation in its manufacturing trades. Currently, women make up around 9% of the institute's annual intake, up from 5% the previous year and 2% when the institute began. To further encourage female enrollment, JIM Manesar offers a 100% tuition fee waiver for female students, a dedicated women's hostel, and a 50/50 gender ratio among faculty and staff.

Personal connections, such as family ties and recommendations from friends, have also played a significant role in bringing female students to the institute.