Women currently make up approximately 36 percent of the tech workforce in India, according to Nasscom findings. Despite various initiatives, there has been only slight progress in closing the gender gap in the industry. However, India’s prominent position in the technological revolution and the increasing awareness of the importance of women’s participation provides hope for a more inclusive future. In the Union Budget for 2024, the Indian government emphasised the urgent need to empower women in the technology sector. Beyond just representation, this is essential for creativity, economic expansion, and future planning.

Women’s impact on the Indian IT sector

Women are making significant contributions to the transformation of technology, with their increasing participation in India’s IT and STEM sectors. Women now make up 36% of the IT-BPM workforce or nearly 5 million professionals. However, only 4-8% of executive roles are held by women, compared to the global figure of 14%. The rise in female enrollment in STEM, with women comprising over 40% of students, shows their growing influence in AI and innovation.

One of the great impacts women are making is to improve the morality of AI advancements. Significant contributions are being made by senior women in AI who seek to promote moral behaviour around the technology. OpenAI's CTO aims to align AI advancements with social ideals. A former Chief Decision Scientist at Google oversaw data-driven, moral decision-making. A Stanford University professor specialises in human-centered, ethical AI, while a Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft focuses on AI's social consequences, accountability, and fairness. The direction of AI is being shaped by these women.

Having diverse teams also enhances ethical decision making. A study in the International Journal for Artificial Intelligence in Education found that diverse teams excel at identifying ethical issues and making decisions that prioritise others' well-being. Incorporating diverse perspectives ensures AI systems are unbiased, effective, and innovative.

Growth of women in India's tech workforce

By 2027, women are expected to make up 14.9% of India's tech workforce, a significant increase from 10.8% in 2022, according to TeamLease Digital. The annual growth of 5.5% provides an opportunity to narrow the gender gap in the tech industry. At present, 1.92 million women are contributing to the workforce, with their numbers expected to increase sharply in the next three years. The growth of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) is a key driver, with women expected to make up 35% of the workforce in these centres by 2027.

Women are expected to advance far in the industry. Reports by Nasscom and BCG show that 42% of women rate their professional ambitions as very high, compared to 35% of men. Women’s ambition grows with seniority, reflecting a strong drive to succeed in both entry-level and senior management positions.

Nasscom also reveals women’s perceptions of career opportunities, GenAI’s potential, and challenges in the tech ecosystem. Around 65% of both women and men believe GenAI will help equalise women’s inclusion in tech by creating new opportunities, enhancing accessibility, and reducing biases that have historically hindered women’s progress.

However, only one-third of women feel leadership equality in their organisations, though 70% believe female leaders foster diversity and inclusion.

Potential for women in emerging tech fields

Emerging digital industries like data science, cybersecurity, cloud computing, AI, ML, and UX design are seeing significant advancements for women. Businesses are focusing on data-driven strategies and fighting cyber threats, which has increased demand for roles like cybersecurity professionals, ML engineers, and data scientists.

With the growth of cloud computing, more opportunities are available for women to work as DevOps engineers and cloud architects. Women are also leading the way in AI, ML, and UX/UI design, which are driving innovation and enhancing digital experiences. These opportunities are helping women make a significant impact on India's technology sector and narrow the gender gap.