Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani unveiled the findings on Monday.
A mere 1.6 per cent of companies listed on the Fortune India 500 have women at the helm, while the figures stand at 5 per cent for the Fortune India Next 500, according to a study.
The study -- 'Enhancing Women Leadership in India Inc' -- conducted jointly by Fortune India and SP Jain Institute of Management and Research sheds light on the persistent gender gap in leadership roles within Indian industries.
Supported by the Women and Child Development Ministry and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the study engaged 130 industry leaders, with a representation of 54 per cent female and 46 per cent male CEOs, in 16 roundtable discussions across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru.
Additionally, a survey questionnaire was distributed to Fortune 500 companies for their insights.
Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani unveiled the findings of the study on Monday.
A key finding of this study is the industry leaders' recognition of the government's decade-long efforts to promote women in the corporate sphere and admitting that the responsibility now lies with the industry to implement measures that foster women's leadership, she said.
"The study underscores the industry's acknowledgment of gender inequality within corporations, pinpointing organizational policies, career advancement opportunities, work-life balance, and cultural norms and stereotypes as significant obstacles to be addressed.
"I commend the industry's transparency in recognising the challenges that need to be tackled to advance the vision of Women-led Development, which is the cornerstone of PM @narendramodiji's government," Irani said in a post on X.
Despite advancements in various sectors, the study reveals a stark reality: only a minuscule percentage of companies are led by women MDs/CEOs across different tiers of corporate India.
According to the study, a mere 1.6 per cent of companies listed on the Fortune India 500 have women at the helm, while the figures stand at 5 per cent for The Next 500 and 3.2 per cent for the Fortune India 1000 companies.
Fortune India publishes an annual list of the top 500 corporations in India by revenue. This list is similar to the Fortune 500 but focuses specifically on Indian companies.
The Next 500 refers to the companies that follow the top 500 in terms of revenue or other criteria. These companies are often called 'The Next 500' or 'Fortune India Next 500'.
While Fortune India 1000 is an extended list that includes both the Fortune India 500 and The Next 500, encompassing the top 1000 corporations in India by various metrics.
The study identifies several root causes contributing to this gender disparity. One significant factor is the 'leaky pipeline' phenomenon, where a substantial portion of women employees exits the workforce upon entering middle management due to familial responsibilities.
"Over 30-40 per cent of women employees quit the workforce by the time they enter middle management. This is the time when they invariably get married or have a family. They take maternity leave and the return post childbirth gets challenging," it said.
Also, the study said maternity leaves and caregiving duties often disrupt their career progression, leading to a severe shortage of women groomed for leadership roles.
Moreover, inherent biases prevalent in corporate mindset further exacerbate the problem, the study pointed out.
"Organisations shy away from hiring a woman in mid-management roles as they know there could be a six-month 'maternity leave' in the offing. It is paid leave and most organisations don't want - smaller ones can't afford - to make that investment," it said.
Stereotypes regarding women's commitment, willingness to relocate, or capability to handle P&L roles hinder their advancement opportunities, according to the study.
"The next round of losses occur when women leaders have to take a break when their children write board exams. There is also a break in their career, typically in their late forties when they have the responsibility of taking care of parents or in-laws," the study said.
Decision-makers often make assumptions about women's preferences without consulting them directly, perpetuating discriminatory practices, the study said.
The study rejected the idea of quotas but suggested actionable solutions to bridge the gender gap.
"Will a quota system make sense to get the much-needed number of women in the middle management? It was a vehement 'No' from the industry. Quotas would impact meritocracy, was the unanimous view," the study said.
However, a section of the industry did feel that a mandate to hire more women on the shop floor of manufacturing units could help to improve the representation at the grassroot level, it said.
The recommendations suggested in the study include tax rebates, enhanced corporate disclosures on diversity, increasing women's representation on boards, fostering a culture of sponsorship, and introducing gender-specific hiring mandates.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)