Nearly half of the 2,647 companies listed on the National Stock Exchange have no women in key managerial positions, according to a study by the Udaiti Foundation. On average, there were 0.64 women in these roles per company in 2024-25. The analysis highlights women's declining share in higher-paid formal jobs.
An analysis by the Udaiti Foundation, a non-profit organisation, of submissions from the 2,647 companies listed on the National Stock Exchange found that almost half have no women in key managerial positions at all. On average, companies had 0.64 women in these positions in 2024-25, with only 10% employing more than one woman in such leadership roles.
Women's representation in the formal workforce stood at 18%, down one percentage point from 2020-21. Among formal workers earning more than ₹18,000 per month, women's share fell from 21% in 2020-21 to 12% in 2024-25.
In contrast, the proportion of women among lower-paid employees, as defined by the Code on Wages, rose from 19% to 23% over the same period. This indicates that women are being excluded from higher-paying jobs in the formal sector and shifted to lower-wage positions.