Despite a considerable number of women entering the workforce at entry-level positions, their representation significantly declines as they ascend to higher leadership roles. This phenomenon, termed the ‘Leaky Pipeline,’ is characterised by a stark reduction in female representation from entry-level to leadership. Less than 30% of women hired at entry-level eventually reach top positions, in contrast to their male counterparts, underscoring the necessity for targeted interventions to advance women up the corporate ladder.
Over the past few decades, Indian women have made remarkable strides in politics, business, academia, and the social sector. Yet, men continue to predominantly hold the reins at the senior-most levels as women’s representation in leadership roles remains disproportionately low. While sectors such as professional services, healthcare, and education demonstrate relatively higher female representation, industries like construction, oil, gas, mining, and utilities lag significantly behind, highlighting the varied gender parity across sectors.
A primary barrier to women’s advancement in corporate India is the so-called “Broken Rung” stage, typically occurring when women reach mid-level positions around their thirties, often coinciding with marriage or starting a family. At this stage, domestic responsibilities make it challenging for many women to commit to the extensive working hours usually required for senior positions. Moreover, unconscious biases embedded in recruitment and promotion processes frequently favour male candidates. Social norms and attitudes concerning marital status and motherhood further exacerbate gender inequality, often disqualifying capable female candidates from leadership roles. Additionally, industries that require extensive travel or lack gender-sensitive infrastructure experience a higher dropout rate among women.
Between 2017 and 2025, India witnessed substantial growth in the number of women occupying leadership positions. The number of women in boardrooms doubled from approximately 4.5 lakh to 9.1 lakh, and their representation in senior management roles increased significantly from 23,685 to 38,745. Likewise, women in other managerial roles rose from 4.3 lakh to 8.8 lakh by 2025. Despite this progress, the overall proportion of women in leadership has only marginally improved.
Globally, women constitute about 41.8% of the workforce and hold around 32.1% of senior leadership positions. However, in India, around 18.5% of managerial positions are held by women, significantly below the global average (as per 2024 data). Informal appointments to boards, opaque appointment processes, and male-dominated networks perpetuate the underrepresentation of women. Often, the same pool of male directors gets recycled across various companies because organisations frequently seek prior board experience, inadvertently excluding women.
Key barriers deterring women’s leadership aspirations include domestic responsibilities (41%), gender bias (23%), limited access to networking and mentorship (13%), lack of equal opportunities (12%), unequal compensation (6%), and other factors (5%). Encouragingly, women’s dropout rates have declined in 49% of organisations over the past five years, driven by heightened aspirations, increased confidence, educational advancements, and a strong desire to contribute effectively to the corporate sphere.
Indian regulations mandate the inclusion of at least one woman director on the boards of listed companies. Given that women constitute nearly half of the population, experts recommend elevating female representation on boards to at least 30% to derive substantial organisational benefits. With fewer women in mid-management, organisations must prioritise meaningful participation and proactively upskill women to remain competitive in an evolving job market. Also, outside professional executive women directors (non-promoters) hold just 7% such directorship positions as per a report from Prime Database.
Industries must actively embrace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies to enhance women’s employability. These policies should involve revising recruitment and promotion strategies, improving workplace conditions—such as providing clean and accessible facilities—and adopting flexible hybrid working policies wherever feasible. Enforcement of equitable pay practices, policy reforms, and initiatives promoting equal distribution of domestic responsibilities, including paid paternity leave, are also vital.
Mentorship and skill development programs facilitated by industry associations and academic collaborations can substantially empower women. Networking and peer support groups must be established, alongside governmental incentives—such as awards, certifications, and publicity—to encourage industries to adopt gender-inclusive practices. Robust data collection tracking women’s career trajectories will highlight areas needing improvement and guide targeted interventions.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, several companies have curtailed remote working practices, significantly impacting women who had benefited from flexible arrangements. While specific sectors, such as software development and consultancy, continue to accommodate remote work, in other roles where creative thinking, brainstorming, problem-solving, and collaboration are essential, people need to be in offices; otherwise, they are sidelined.
According to The Economic Times, the Marching Sheep Inclusion Index 2025, which evaluated 840 listed companies across 30 sectors, businesses with greater female leadership reported a 50% higher Profit After Tax (PAT). However, women remain significantly underrepresented in key decision-making positions. Currently, women account for only 22% of the workforce in these companies, which is lower than the 28% recorded by the Periodic Urban Labour Force Survey (2023–24).
Parallel findings from the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) indicate that in emerging markets, women-led startups receive only 11% of seed funding, causing women’s start-ups to face a funding winter. This financial disparity is severe; it states that inclusion should not be treated as a box-ticking exercise under CSR, but rather seen as a core value. Without addressing internal systems of access, power, and accountability, the report warns, efforts toward inclusion may remain surface-level.
Encouragingly, various industry associations are actively prompting businesses to prioritise gender diversity in leadership roles. Companies such as IKEA India and KPMG have pledged to achieve 50% female representation in leadership by 2030. Furthermore, the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, along with prominent associations like Assocham, Laghu Udyog Bharati, CII, FICCI, and Chambers of Commerce, regularly organises workshops and training sessions aimed at upskilling women for leadership positions.
Additionally, initiatives like the Taj Group of Hotels’ ‘Second Innings’ program encourage women to re-enter the hospitality industry after career breaks. ‘Returnship programs’, designed explicitly to reintegrate women into the workforce after extended breaks, are crucial for accelerating women’s advancement into leadership positions. Facilitating women’s participation in industry conferences, networking events, and forums can significantly enhance their visibility and provide valuable connections and opportunities.
Companies must set tangible hiring targets for women. For instance, a Mumbai-based consultancy mandated that women comprise 50% of its new campus recruits. The diversity head said, “We don’t want a conversation on why we want a gender balanced team, but conversations on how to make it work.”
Women should be encouraged to undertake challenging assignments, their successes highlighted prominently, and platforms provided to amplify their voices. Opportunities for shadowing senior leaders can bolster women’s confidence and prepare them effectively for top roles. Regular feedback from female employees and open communication channels are essential for proactively addressing gender-specific issues.
Promoting gender parity is a ‘Work-in-progress’ as the Industry and Government partner together to promote it at the national, organisational, family, and individual levels. Companies around the world with the most diverse workforces have outperformed others, as diversity ignites innovation, encourages creativity and strengthens problem-solving. Women constitute 49% of the population in India , and as more women join the workforce, it is essential to forge a corporate culture that empowers them and encourages them to break the glass ceiling.
Pallavi Salgaocar is a Chartered Accountant and Executive Finance Director of Geno Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd. She’s a first-generation Entrepreneur and founder of the Bakery chain in Goa Desserts N More- manufacturing and retailing cakes, pastries, savouries, cookies and breads through its Self-operated shops, Franchisees, Express Counters and Supermarkets. She’s the Goa State President of Laghu Udyog Bharati, Assocham Goa Women Empowerment Chair and a member of the Managing Committee of GCCI. She is also a director in Bicholim Urban Co-operative Bank and a columnist.
