Even though Nepal has seen an increase in the number of female scientists, research and assessment levels still remain lower than expected. According to the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, among the 28,134 scientists, just 4,219 of them are female. And it is not just the female scientists whose research levels remain low. A lack of funding and of proper equipment are the biggest hurdles to research and implementation.

Tribhuban University started its Bachelor of Science program only in 1965. Before that, students had to go abroad to study science. Currently, there are 1,742 women in the medical science sector ? the most in any of the sciences. Since the sciences are a communal field there is little sexism, say the women scientists. Much of the research depends on the limited funding from foreign sources. Although there is a ministry of science and technology, the government does very little to support scientists.

According to the recently published NAST report, most women are in the medicinal, physical, natural and engineering sciences, with only a handful in the natural resources (four) and weather science (five) sectors