Bengaluru, Apr 13 (IANS): Sony India Software Centre set up 5 fellowships for post-graduate women students at the premier Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in computing sciences, an official said on Monday.

"The initiative aims to encourage women students pursuing careers in the technology sector," said the official in a statement here.

The fellowships will be awarded to 5 women students pursuing masters in robotics and autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, computational and data science, computer science and engineering and electronics and communication engineering.

"As the fellowships are for empowering women through education, we hope many women opt for sciences and improve gender diversity in organisations," said Sony India Software Centre's managing director Masayuki Toriumi.

The fellowships include a monthly scholarship for the course period and research grant, including travel expenses, purchase of laptops and other consumables.

"The goal of fellowships is to encourage more women to pursue higher studies at the premier institute in engineering and technology," said the statement.

Women students are admitted to post-graduate courses through a competitive process, based on GATE score and interviews.

"The fellowships give push for gender equality in the higher education space," said the institute's chair for development and alumni association affairs P. Yalavarthy on the occasion.

The fellowships will be awarded in the August 2021 academic year.