Indian women and careers: A study of early career transition of women in IT

Abstract

In the last two decades, more and more Indian women have entered the workforce, especially with the proliferation of jobs in the field of IT/ITES. Nasscom estimates that around 30 percent of the employees of IT/ITES organizations are composed of women. However, there is a disproportionate representation when it comes to senior management and top management in all Indian IT firms. In general, women’s early career experiences coincide with a lot of changes in their personal lives - with marriage and motherhood being equally demanding. It is in this phase that women have to make choices that are perceived to slow them down relative to their male counterparts. This study will seek to link the early career path of women in the IT industry to the structural and social issues that they are faced with, especially in the Indian context.