India’s tech contractual workforce sees surge in female participation, yet faces persistent gender gaps: Report

India’s technology sector has witnessed a substantial shift in its contractual workforce over the past four years, with female participation rising dramatically, according to a report released on Wednesday by staffing firm TeamLease Digital. The study, based on a dataset of 13,000 contractual workers, reveals that women now account for 27.98% of the tech contractual workforce, up from 9.51% in 2020. This increase reflects broader changes in the industry’s landscape and the growing prominence of female talent in the sector.

The report, which offers an in-depth analysis of the tech workforce from 2020 to 2024, attributes the growth in female participation to a combination of factors, including advancements in digital infrastructure, the expansion of remote work options, and the proactive efforts of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As more companies embrace inclusive hiring practices, the representation of women in Global Capability Centers (GCCs) has notably improved, rising from 31.4% in 2020 to 38.3% in 2024.

Despite the promising progress at the entry-level, women’s representation in senior leadership roles remains notably low. The report highlights that while the number of women in leadership positions has grown, it has done so only marginally, from 11.43% in 2020 to 13.60% in 2024. Neeti Sharma, CEO of TeamLease Digital, commented, “While the increase in the number of women in tech roles is commendable, achieving true gender parity requires more than just hiring more women—it requires sustained efforts to foster environments where women can thrive and grow into leadership positions.” The report also emphasizes the persistent gender pay gap, particularly in high-demand tech roles. The overall gender pay gap in GCCs stands at 16.10%, with the gap widening to 16.4% at senior levels. In specialized tech roles, the gender pay gap reaches a concerning 22.2%, although it is significantly lower in non-tech positions at just 0.8%.