India stands out globally with approximately 43% of women enrolled in STEM fields, yet this high participation does not translate proportionally to leadership positions. Women hold only about 8% of C-suite positions in the tech sector. As of 2024, women occupy around 23% of senior leadership roles in IT, marking an increase from about 18.7% in 2023. However, systemic barriers such as unconscious bias, lack of equitable promotion opportunities, and challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities hinder women’s advancement.

To address these challenges, many IT companies have initiated mentorship and leadership development programmes, diversity initiatives, and supportive work environments. Despite these efforts, sustained progress is needed to overcome these barriers and ensure more women reach leadership positions in India’s tech industry. 

Positive trends are emerging to address this gap as many organisations are implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, such as flexible work arrangements, gender-neutral hiring, and leadership development programs for women. Organisations like NASSCOM and Women in Tech India are actively working to bridge the gap through mentorship initiatives. Additionally, more women are venturing into entrepreneurship and the venture capital space, further challenging the status quo. To accelerate progress, companies need stronger policies that ensure unbiased hiring and promotions, invest in leadership development through mentorship and sponsorship programmes, and foster a more inclusive workplace culture.

Currently, women represent only about 32% of the total workforce in India, with just 29% entering STEM fields despite nearly equal participation rates overall. In 2022, women made up 26% of tech professionals, increasing to 29% in 2023. In total, 86,800 female employees were hired for tech roles. For 2024, an overall hiring growth of 8–10% is estimated, with a 2-3% growth in terms of women, driven by DE&I strategies, skilling and upskilling programs, hybrid working, flexible working conditions, maternity breaks, and women’s safety measures.

Most IT and Global Capability Centers (GCCs) today are creating a transparent work culture to build an inclusive workforce for the future. Roles are more skill-based than years of experience or gender, and flexibility is practised with a demand for growth and job rotation within the organisation. More women employees are hired based on competencies and capabilities rather than years of experience or designations.

Currently, 1.92 million women contribute to the tech workforce, with rapid growth anticipated over the next three years. The rise of GCCs is a key factor, with projections indicating that women will represent 35% of the workforce in these hubs by 2027. The demand for skilled professionals in emerging tech fields is accelerating, with women making strides in high-growth domains such as data science, analytics, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and user experience (UX) design. These fields offer promising career paths for women, and they are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of India’s tech landscape.