Out of the total female population of approximately 69.2 crore, around 37 per cent are actively engaged in the workforce, according to the findings revealed by a report on women’s workforce demographics in India. The report, titled ‘The State of Women’s Employment in India,’ conducted by Careernet, highlights that cities such as Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai emerge as leaders regarding female employment rates.

According to the report, women’s representation in the workforce increased significantly in 2023, with a rise of 2-5 per cent in both junior professional roles and executive boards compared to the previous year.

Furthermore, the study found that 40 per cent of the newly recruited talent from colleges in 2023 were women. Additionally, women with 0-3 years and 3-7 years of experience accounted for 20-25 per cent of the total hires within their respective experience brackets. The report also noted a marginal overall uptick in the hiring proportion of women across most cities, except for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), where a decline was observed.

According to the report, Hyderabad leads the hiring rate with 34 per cent, followed by Pune at 33 per cent, and Chennai at 29 per cent. However, Delhi-NCR has witnessed a decline, dropping to 20 per cent, reflecting a 2 per cent decrease from the 2022 figure.

Sector-wise analysis reveals an uptick in hiring trends for women in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector within Global Capability Centers (GCCs), the offshore units set up by multinational companies for various strategic functions.

Furthermore, the report highlights a narrowing pay gap, decreasing to approximately 20 per cent in 2023 from 30 per cent in the previous year, indicating a positive shift towards more equitable salary practices. However, the hiring of women at the mid-management level has remained stagnant at 23 per cent over the past two years, according to the report’s findings.

“While 30 per cent of the urban population are white-collar professionals, only 5 per cent of the rural populace falls into this category. This underscores a significant gender disparity in India’s white-collar landscape,” said Careernet’s CEO and co-founder, Anshuman Das.

While there have been notable advancements in bolstering women’s involvement in the Indian workforce, Das noted that certain challenges remain, particularly concerning their re-entry into the workforce.

He added, “The surge in women’s employment in the Indian startup ecosystem affirms that India Inc. is open to transformation.”

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