India’s GCC Dilemma: Women’s Representation Remains Low At 28%

India’s Global Capability Centers (GCCs) are currently becoming a toast of many conversations, both internationally and nationally, and yet women make up only 28 per cent of the GCC workforce which points to a huge gender gap in the nation’s DeepTech ecosystem.

According to the Pure Storage-Zinnov analysis, while there is an encouraging 36.8 per cent representation of women at the junior level in GCCs, the percentages taper sharply as career levels ascend—with women comprising 24.3 per cent at the middle level, 15.7 per cent at the senior level, 14.5 per cent at the top level and just 6.7 per cent at the executive level.

The DeepTech domain shows an even more pronounced decline, with women holding 26.5 per cent of junior level roles, 24.5 per cent at the middle level, 19.2 per cent at senior, 11.9 per cent at top and only 5.1 per cent at executive levels.

These figures indicate a crucial drop-off at higher career stages, suggesting systemic barriers that prevent women from reaching leadership positions. The underrepresentation is particularly stark in specialised roles that require advanced knowledge in cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Blockchain, where the demand for a highly skilled workforce intensifies competition and heightens the qualifications threshold.

“While DeepTech has pushed the boundaries of possibility, the sobering truth is that the sector has only 5.1 per cent women at the Executive level. Interventions to solve the talent pipeline issue and create work environments enabling women to thrive have become an urgent necessity. Initiatives like leadership development programs, returnship opportunities and flexible work arrangements introduced by Global Capability Centers (GCCs) are a positive start, but true progress demands unwavering commitment and consistency from the entire ecosystem,” said Karthik Padmanabhan, Managing Partner, Zinnov.

Cause And Effect

Educational access and societal norms contribute to the aforementioned disparities from an early age. The 2022 Education Statistics report by Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation have earlier revealed that although nearly half of India’s population is female, yet only 70 per cent of women have access to primary education and just 25 per cent of these women go on to pursue graduate studies.

Factors such as early marriages, financial constraints and societal expectations further curtail educational and professional opportunities for many women. The talent pipeline from educational institutions to DeepTech industries further impact the gender gap.

Pur Storage-Zinnov’s study on engineering graduates from 2004 to 2023 from India’s top universities—a preferred recruitment pool for GCCs—also shows limited female participation. Despite women showing strong placement performance versus male counterparts, the initial number of women entering these programmes is low, particularly in top-tier institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

To bridge these gaps, the report suggests that GCCs should not only expand their recruitment beyond top-tier universities but also foster workplace environments that support women’s career advancement. This includes flexible work policies, strong mentorship programs and proactive promotion of women into leadership roles.

“To bridge this gender divide, we must confront the systemic barriers that hinder women’s participation from the very onset. Addressing the leaky pipeline, where girls face obstacles in accessing quality STEM education and overcoming societal biases, is imperative. Initiatives that expose young minds to DeepTech concepts, provide mentorship, and offer financial support can pave the way for a more diverse talent pool,” said Sangeeta Gupta, Senior Vice President, nasscom.