Women lead just 5% of listed firms in India: Report
A new report shows that women lead just 5% of listed companies in India, even though they make up nearly a quarter of the workforce.
Out of over 2,200 NSE-listed firms, women hold only 14% of key management jobs and just 10% of executive director roles.
Ambitions high, but progress is slow
Despite high ambitions (79% of women professionals want to lead), progress is slow.
About 30% of companies saw no rise (or even a drop) in women leaders over five years.
Career breaks after maternity and rigid work policies often block their path to senior positions.
Women now fill 21% of board seats
Women now fill 21% of board seats, but in the BSE-200 sample most boards have only one or two female members.
Plus, just 11% of female directors hold executive roles (compared to 65% for men), which means real decision-making power is still out of reach for many.
Barriers still hold many back from climbing higher
In the BSE-200 sample, firms led by women had female board representation of 31% versus 17.7% in male-led firms (about 1.75 times higher).
But barriers like unclear promotion paths and exclusion from big decisions still hold many back from climbing higher.