India Leads in STEM Equality, But Women's Workforce Participation Lag

By: WE Staff | Saturday, 24 January 2026

• India has made rapid strides in the attainment of gender equality in the fields of science
• "The report prepared by EY India highlights policies and industry efforts driving progress in women in STEM"

According to a report prepared by EY India, though the country has made advancements in the sphere of gender equality in the field of STEM education, the level of participation in the workforce remains a matter of concern, specifically regarding women leaders.

Though the focus is on the positive policies that are being introduced or implemented in the industry concerning the development of women in STEM education, the following are the key areas that need discussion as barriers acting on the situation.

Additionally, the report emphasized that through education, women's empowerment will be enhanced by increasing their number in society by mentioning that government initiatives such as “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao,” “Vigyan Jyoti,” “Pragati Scholarship,” among others, have all contributed to the surge in women enrolling for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths courses.

Skills education and inclusion have also been emphasized by NEP 2020 in India for setting the foundation for diversity in the labor force.

Additionally, some organizations have introduced their CSR initiatives for women in STEM education as scholarship programs.

India currently ranks higher than the global average for female STEM graduates, but there was a noted gap between female education attainment and participation in STEM-based jobs, according to the report.

This, according to Aashish Kasad, Partner and Diversity and Inclusiveness Business Sponsor, EY India, is due to unconscious bias, culture, differential remuneration packages, leadership opportunities, work-life balance, mentor support, and career progression support, to name a few.

It referenced data provided by LinkedIn that indicated that women comprised 41.2 percent of the general labor force, with industries such as retail/e-commerce, healthcare, pharma, and IT leading in hiring women with STEM qualifications.

Corporate sponsored initiatives have begun to provide women with support to help them cope with challenges that come with pursuing STEM-related careers and help them achieve their professional objectives.

Aashish also emphasized the point that by enhancing diversity within STEM fields, innovation and economic growth could be boosted in the country.