Politics · India Bureau
Women remain scarce in PSU leadership roles despite quota push
While India debates women's legislative representation, a persistent gender gap persists in government-run enterprises, where women hold less than 10 percent of positions and rarely advance to supervisory roles.
LSN India ·
Women remain dramatically underrepresented in India's central public sector enterprises, with latest government data revealing they constitute less than 10 percent of the total workforce across CPSEs. More concerning, fewer than one in ten women employed in these government-run organisations advance to supervisory positions, highlighting structural barriers to career progression.
The disparity becomes stark when compared to private sector performance. Private companies employ women in roughly one-fourth of managerial roles, while approximately one-third of entry-level positions are held by women. This gap underscores the particular challenges women face within the public sector ecosystem.
The findings emerge as policymakers grapple with broader gender participation issues. India's overall female Labour Force Participation Rate stands marginally above 34 percent, representing a decline from 40 percent at the end of the 2024-25 financial year, according to government figures.
Experts and policymakers have flagged the need for targeted interventions within public enterprises, arguing that representation at decision-making levels remains essential for meaningful organisational change. The issue has gained renewed focus amid ongoing discussions around women's quota implementation in legislative bodies.