AI-led upskilling boosts women in STEM, workforce gap remains: EY India

AI-driven upskilling and rising female enrolment in science and engineering are beginning to reshape India’s STEM talent pipeline, but the gains are yet to translate into sustained workforce participation, particularly in enterprise technology roles, according to a report released by EY India on Monday.

The report, "Breaking the Code: The rise of women in India’s STEM landscape" highlights a steady increase in women’s participation across education and skilling programmes, positioning India at a critical juncture where access and qualifications must now convert into long-term careers and leadership outcomes.

While enrolment and graduation numbers have improved, women remain under-represented in the organised STEM workforce, the report said. “The next phase of India’s STEM focus must be on enabling women to translate STEM qualifications into long-term, leadership-oriented careers,” said Aashish Kasad, partner and India region diversity and inclusiveness business sponsor at EY India.

AI and enterprise tech skilling gain traction

The report points to AI and technology-enabled upskilling as key drivers expanding women’s participation in STEM careers. Women’s share in STEM-related upskilling rose from 22% in 2018-19 to 33% in 2023, supported by wider digital access, flexible learning models and growing enterprise demand for advanced technology skills.

Interest has accelerated further with the rise of generative AI. Enrolments in GenAI courses surged 195% year-on-year in 2025, reflecting growing preparedness among women for roles in data, AI engineering, cybersecurity and automation.

Hiring trends show early alignment from industry. About 62% of employers reported hiring more women in STEM roles in FY24, indicating that enterprises are increasingly factoring diversity into digital and AI-led transformation initiatives.

Sectoral imbalance remains

Despite strong graduation rates, women’s representation varies sharply across sectors. In technology and IT services, women account for 36% of STEM jobs—higher than other sectors but still below parity. Representation drops significantly in heavy manufacturing and core engineering, where women make up just 3% of the STEM workforce.

In the fast-growing electric mobility and automotive segment, women hold about 13% of roles, underscoring the challenge of inclusion in capital-intensive and hardware-led industries.

At the macro level, India’s female labour force participation rate rose to 41.7% in 2023-24, expanding the potential talent pool but also highlighting the need for better retention and career progression mechanisms.

Bridging the talent gap

The report links India’s gender gap in STEM to a broader global skills shortage. Citing World Economic Forum estimates, it notes that the global economy could face a shortfall of over 85 million skilled workers by 2030, making greater participation of women in STEM critical for productivity and innovation.

To address this, EY recommends strengthening the education-to-employment bridge through internships, apprenticeships and structured industry exposure, alongside inclusive workplace systems such as flexible work models, returnships and unbiased advancement pathways.

Government programmes such as Vigyan Jyoti, Pragati Scholarship and SERB POWER, along with corporate initiatives like the EY STEM App and EY Disha, are playing a role in expanding access, mentorship and job readiness, the report said.

Sustained investment in AI-led upskilling, deeper collaboration between industry, academia and government, and greater visibility of women leaders in enterprise technology will be essential to convert India’s STEM pipeline into long-term workforce and leadership outcomes, it added.