Women’s representation in job postings in India increased 19% year-on-year, according to the Women in the Indian Workforce 2026 report released by foundit.
The study, based on job-posting trends between February 2025 and February 2026, indicates a shift in employer intent, with women increasingly represented across senior roles, higher salary brackets, technology functions and Tier-2 markets.
“We are seeing encouraging momentum in how women are being hired across India,” said Anupama Bhimrajka, VP – Marketing at foundit. She said opportunities are expanding beyond entry-level roles into senior positions and higher salary bands, although a large share of openings continues to remain below ₹10 lakh per annum (LPA).
Data from the report shows women’s representation rising in higher experience brackets. In the 7–10 years’ category, the share increased to 14% in 2026 from 11% in 2025. For professionals with more than 15 years of experience, it rose from 1% to 3%. At the same time, early-career roles saw a marginal decline, with the 0–3 years’ segment dropping to 49% from 53%, and the 4–6 years’ band slipping to 30% from 32%.
Geographically, hiring is expanding beyond metro markets. Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities accounted for 44% of job postings featuring women’s representation in 2026, up from 41% a year earlier, while Tier-1 cities’ share declined to 56% from 59%. Tier-2 cities recorded a 22% year-on-year increase in women-focused postings, with Jaipur, Coimbatore, Indore and Kochi emerging as key growth hubs. Delhi/NCR continues to lead overall, with Bengaluru, Pune and other southern cities also gaining share.
Functionally, women’s participation is increasing in technology and revenue-linked roles. Representation in IT rose from 32% to 34%, while Data & Analytics saw a sharper increase from 7% to 10%. Sales & Business Development grew from 15% to 16%, and Marketing & Communications from 14% to 16%. In contrast, areas where women have traditionally been concentrated recorded slight declines, with Customer Service/BPO falling from 12% to 10% and Human Resources from 21% to 20%.
The report also notes an improving salary mix, with higher pay brackets gaining share, though roles offering below ₹10 LPA continue to account for a significant portion of overall job postings.
Source – https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/womens-it-role-share-rises-to-34-in-2026-foundit-91330.htm