Despite a growing focus on diversity and inclusion, India continues to grapple with a stark gender disparity at the highest echelons of corporate leadership. While women comprise a significant portion of the entry-level workforce, they hold a mere 19% of C-suite roles in India, a figure significantly lagging the global average of 30%. This persistent gap raises critical questions about the underlying systemic and cultural factors hindering women's ascent.

According to Rajiv Jayaraman, Founder and CEO of KNOLSKAPE, a firm with extensive experience in culture transformation with Fortune 500 companies, the underrepresentation of women in leadership is not a simple fix. It stems from deeply embedded structural and cultural barriers that demand a comprehensive overhaul, rather than superficial policy adjustments. He argues that the most significant obstacles are often “invisible yet pervasive.”

“Research shows that men are 2.1 times more likely to be promoted from entry-level to managerial positions, creating a foundational inequality that cascades throughout the organisational hierarchy,” Jayaraman explains. “Systemic processes unconsciously favor certain promotion patterns.”

Beyond this initial promotion gap, other factors contribute. While India's Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) is improving, it remains relatively low. Furthermore, work-life integration challenges affect approximately 60% of women professionals, adding another layer of complexity.

Jayaraman highlights that the real challenge lies in organisational cultures that have yet to fundamentally reimagine leadership success metrics. “When leadership effectiveness is still measured by traditional constructs and behaviours rather than outcomes and inclusive leadership competencies, women often find themselves navigating tough standards,” he notes.

Cultural barriers also manifest through unconscious biases. “As observed in our culture transformation work, certain assumptions become so normalised—like picturing leadership primarily in masculine terms—that they operate below conscious awareness,” Jayaraman states. “This is why awareness creation of unconscious biases and experiential learning interventions are crucial; they make the invisible visible and create shared understanding across organizational levels.”

Beyond the Pipeline: A Promotion and Sponsorship Gap

When asked whether the challenge remains a "pipeline problem" (insufficient women in mid-level roles) or has evolved into a promotion and sponsorship gap, Jayaraman offers a nuanced perspective:

According to McKinsey, while women constitute 33% of entry-level roles, they hold only 24% of managerial positions. While pipeline availability definitely can be improved, this also reflects a lack of proper advancement mechanisms and sponsorship structures.

Competency isn't the issue. “In our experience delivering women leadership development programs, including multiple cohorts of women leadership programs, we've observed that competency isn't the constraining factor.” He adds that women frequently demonstrate equal if not superior performance in critical leadership capabilities, including emotional intelligence, collaboration, and communication.

"The real challenge, however, lies in sponsorship gaps and visibility mechanisms. Women leaders, particularly in technology sectors, show less confidence in actively engaging in problem-solving and decision-making processes, not due to capability limitations but because many organisational systems haven't created inclusive platforms for visibility and advocacy."

Progressive Industries Show the Way

Jayaraman points to "encouraging signs of improvement rates" in client bases spanning BFSI, technology, and consulting. "The technology sector, despite its challenges, is showing more dramatic improvements in mid-management representation when companies implement systematic experiential learning interventions."

Bridging the DEI translation gap

Jayaraman emphasises that translating DEI strategies into actual inclusive leadership structures is one of the most significant organisational transformation challenges. He asserts this gap arises from treating DEI as a programmatic initiative rather than a fundamental cultural imperative.

"Most organisations approach diversity through policy frameworks and compliance training, which address surface behaviors but don't transform underlying mindsets and decision-making patterns," he explains. "True inclusive leadership means understanding unconscious bias and practicing inclusive decision-making."

A critical barrier is the absence of systems thinking in DEI implementation. "Organisations often focus on individual leadership development without addressing the structural systems that reinforce exclusive practices,” he cautions. “Promotion criteria, performance evaluation frameworks, meeting facilitation norms, and even physical workspace designs can perpetuate exclusion despite the best individual intentions.”

Finally, leadership accountability mechanisms represent a third major barrier. “When inclusive leadership isn't measured, recognised, and rewarded systematically, it remains an optional leadership attribute rather than a core competency." However, there's a positive shift: “research indicates that 68% of Indian organisations plan to prioritise DEI programs as a key L&D strategy in 2025.”

Beyond the Compliance Checkbox

The mindset of viewing DEI as merely a compliance checkbox rather than a business strategy persists for several interconnected reasons. Regulatory mandates, while necessary, can inadvertently reinforce a compliance-driven approach. Moreover, many organizations lack the robust measurement frameworks to demonstrate DEI's tangible business impact beyond representation statistics. "Without clear linkages to innovation, employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and financial performance, DEI remains perceived as a social responsibility rather than business imperative," Jayaraman observes.

Despite these hurdles, Jayaraman sees promising shifts. "Technology companies, particularly those with global client bases, are recognising DEI as essential for innovation and market expansion, despite the recent global backlash against DEI," he concludes, indicating a growing understanding of diversity as a strategic asset.