India is approaching a critical inflection point in its STEM journey. While female enrolment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics has steadily risen over the past decade, the real challenge now lies beyond classrooms—translating education and upskilling into sustained workforce participation and leadership roles.
According to a new EY India report, Breaking the code: The rise of women in India’s STEM landscape, this transition is increasingly being shaped by AI-led upskilling, digital access, and coordinated ecosystem efforts spanning government, academia, and industry.
From access to outcomes: the next phase of STEM inclusion
The report highlights that India has made meaningful progress in expanding access to STEM education for women through initiatives such as Vigyan Jyoti, the Pragati Scholarship, and SERB POWER, complemented by corporate-led interventions like the EY STEM App and EY Disha. These programmes have focused on early exposure, mentorship, and career readiness—key levers for long-term participation.
Yet, a persistent gap remains between education and employment.
“While enrolment and graduation numbers are encouraging, they are not translating into a comparable representation of women in the organised STEM workforce,” said Aashish Kasad, Partner and India Region Diversity & Inclusiveness Business Sponsor at EY India. “The next phase must focus on enabling women to convert STEM qualifications into long-term, leadership-oriented careers.”
AI and upskilling reshape opportunity
One of the most significant shifts identified in the report is the role of AI-driven upskilling in expanding women’s participation in high-growth technology roles. Women’s share in STEM-related upskilling increased from 22% in 2018–19 to 33% in 2023, reflecting both rising aspiration and readiness for future-facing careers.
The acceleration of generative AI has further amplified this momentum. GenAI course enrolments surged 195% year-on-year in 2025, signalling a rapid pivot toward emerging skillsets that are reshaping job roles across sectors. Flexible learning models, digital platforms, and increased access to technology have lowered traditional barriers to entry, enabling more women to engage with advanced technical skills.
Employers, too, are beginning to respond. Around 62% of organisations reported hiring more women in STEM roles in FY 2023–24, indicating early alignment between talent supply and industry demand.
Sectoral disparities persist
Despite progress in education and upskilling, workforce representation remains uneven across sectors. Technology and IT show relatively stronger participation, with women accounting for 36% of STEM roles—still short of parity but ahead of other industries.
The gap widens sharply in manufacturing and engineering, where women constitute just 3% of the STEM workforce. Emerging sectors such as electric mobility and automotive present a mixed picture, with women holding approximately 13% of roles—suggesting opportunity, but also structural barriers yet to be addressed.
At a macro level, rising female labour force participation offers cautious optimism. India’s women’s labour force participation rate rose to 41.7% in 2023–24, creating a broader foundation for STEM workforce inclusion—if supported by the right policy and organisational frameworks.
Why the STEM gender gap is now an economic imperative
The EY report places India’s STEM gender challenge in a global context. The World Economic Forum has projected a shortage of over 85 million skilled workers by 2030, making the underutilisation of women’s STEM talent a strategic risk—not just a social issue.
Unlocking this potential, the report argues, is essential for driving productivity, innovation, and long-term GDP growth. But doing so requires moving beyond isolated initiatives toward a coordinated ecosystem response.
Building the education-to-employment bridge
To sustain momentum, EY recommends strengthening the transition from education to employment through internships, apprenticeships, and structured industry exposure. Inclusive workplace systems—such as flexible work models, returnships, and unbiased career progression frameworks—are critical to retaining women in STEM roles over the long term.
Equally important is sustained investment in AI and advanced technology upskilling, alongside greater visibility for women leaders in STEM. Highlighting success stories, building mentorship networks, and addressing unconscious bias remain central to creating an environment where women can not only enter STEM careers, but thrive and lead.
As India positions itself as a global technology and innovation hub, the report makes a clear case: the future of the country’s STEM workforce—and its economic resilience—will depend on how effectively it converts today’s gains in access and upskilling into durable, inclusive career outcomes for women.