Job opportunities for women in India surge by 48%, data reveals

India’s job market is seeing a remarkable shift, with opportunities for women surging by 48% in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to foundit (formerly Monster APAC & ME).

The data highlights key industries such as IT, BFSI, Manufacturing, and Healthcare as major contributors to this growth, alongside a rising demand for specialised talent in emerging technology roles.

“The Indian job market is evolving rapidly, creating greater access and opportunities for women, particularly in high-growth industries and tech-driven roles,” said Anupama Bhimrajka, VP-Marketing, foundit.

“We have also observed a 55% increase in work-from-office arrangements, signalling a shift in employer priorities. While challenges persist in areas like salary parity and evolving work-mode preferences, the overall outlook for women’s workforce participation in 2025 remains highly encouraging.”

The distribution of jobs based on experience levels shows that the majority, 53%, are for candidates with 0-3 years of experience. Those with 4-6 years of experience hold 32% of the jobs, while 11% of positions are available for professionals with 7-10 years of experience.

The availability of jobs significantly declines for higher experience levels, with only 2% of jobs for individuals with 11-15 years of experience and just 1% for those with over 15 years of experience.

Nearly 25% of jobs for women in 2025 are for freshers, indicating a strong demand for early-career professionals, particularly in IT, HR, and Marketing.

The IT/Computers – Software industry had the highest job share for women, with 36% in February 2024, which slightly declined to 34% in February 2025. Recruitment/Staffing/RPO saw a drop from 24% to 20%, while BFSI also declined from 23% to 21%.

In contrast, Advertising/MR/PR/Events saw growth, increasing from 8% to 11%, and Engineering/Production rose from 6% to 8%. Women’s participation in the white-collar workforce remains highest in IT (23%), followed by BFSI (11%) and Education (6%), making them the top three sectors employing women in India.

In February 2024, IT was the leading job function for women, accounting for 25% of jobs, which increased to 32% in February 2025. Human Resource roles also saw growth from 18% to 21%, while Sales & BD increased from 12% to 15%.

However, Customer Service/Call Centre/BPO jobs declined from 15% to 12%. Marketing & Communications saw a rise from 10% to 14%. Additionally, 26% of women are now working in emerging technologies, with an increasing shift toward specialized roles in AI, cybersecurity, data science, and cloud computing.

With the growing presence of corporate hubs in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, companies are expanding hiring efforts beyond major metropolitan areas, creating more localized job opportunities for women. This trend is reflected in the data, showing that 41% of women’s jobs are now in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities such as Nashik, Surat, Coimbatore, and Jaipur, compared to 59% in Tier-1 cities.

Among Tier-1 cities, Delhi/NCR had the highest share of women’s jobs, increasing from 21% in February 2024 to 22% in February 2025. Bengaluru's share declined from 17% to 15%, while Mumbai remained stable at 15%. Hyderabad saw a drop from 11% to 9%, and Chennai’s share decreased from 9% to 8%. Meanwhile, Pune’s share increased from 8% to 10%. ​​

The salary distribution for women’s jobs in India shows that a significant majority, 81%, fall within the Rs 0-10 lakh bracket, while 11% are in the Rs 11-25 lakh range. Only 8% of women hold jobs with salaries exceeding Rs 25 lakh.

In terms of STEM representation, women make up 44% of STEM graduates in India, yet there remains a 12% gap between graduation rates and actual job demand. However, a positive trend is emerging, with 26% of women now participating in emerging tech roles, helping to bridge this disparity. ​​