The Indian IT and ITeS sector is witnessing a marked shift in workforce composition, with women's participation in contractual and flexible roles projected to reach a significant 40 per cent by Fiscal Year 2026. A new report published on Sunday details this upward trend, pointing to the growing acceptance of flexible work models across the industry.
The research, titled “Women in IT/ITeS: Trends in Contractual/Flexi Roles” by Careernet, underscores a substantial leap in female representation. Data indicates that women's placements have climbed by 10 percentage points over the last four years.
Key Growth Metrics for Women in IT/ITeS Sector
The study tracks annual placements from a sample size of around 3,000 contractual positions. It notes that flexible work arrangements are rapidly becoming the preferred structure for many female professionals.Currently, women constitute approximately 30 per cent of the total contractual talent pool within the IT/ITeS sector. This translates to an estimated workforce of nearly 96,000 professionals against a total industry estimate of 3.2 lakh.
Shifting Focus: Core Business Functions Lead Female Role Selection
In terms of job specialization, the data reveals a clear move among women towards core business functions. Finance and Accounting remains the most popular segment, accounting for 43 per cent of participation.Data Science and Analytics follows closely, claiming a 34 per cent share in the talent pool. Furthermore, roles in UX, design, and architecture have gained considerable momentum, making up 31 per cent of the participation figures.
While IT and information security and software engineering maintain steady involvement, consulting roles are observed to have comparatively lower representation in the current structure.
Geographical Hotspots Driving Flexible Work Trends
The adoption of flexible roles for women is heavily concentrated in major metropolitan technology hubs. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune, in combination, account for over half of the entire talent pool analyzed.Delhi NCR and Chennai are also cited as contributing significantly to this trend. Conversely, Mumbai and Kolkata have reported smaller shares of this participation.
The report indicates that Tier-2 cities contribute approximately 11 per cent to the overall pool, suggesting the trend remains most pronounced in the primary metro regions.
Experience Profile of Contractual IT Professionals
Analysis of the workforce structure points towards career continuity in the mid-stages. The largest group of women in these roles comprises professionals with five to eight years of experience.This segment is closely followed by those who have been in the industry for less than two years. The report did not provide insights into the highest levels of experience within this contractual framework.
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