In this series based on the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s Women and Men in India: 2024, we look at women’s participation in decision-making. In 2024, more than half of all recognized startups had at least one woman director, up from just over a third in 2017. Between 2017 & 2025, female directors nearly doubled—from 4.5 lakh to 9.1 lakh. However, their overall share increased only slightly, from 26% to 29%.
In this series based on the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s Women and Men in India: 2024, we looked at how far women have come in terms of financial inclusion—a key part of helping them gain economic independence and reduce gender gaps. We looked at how many women have bank accounts, how much they’re saving, and even how many are investing through Demat accounts across different states.
In this second part, we turn to another vital area: women’s participation in decision-making. When women have an equal say in political and public life, it not only strengthens democracy but also brings a wider range of voices and priorities to the table.
Almost 50% of recognized Startups have at least 1 Women Director
As we explore women’s participation in decision-making, their presence in managerial roles within the startup sector shows some encouraging signs. Under the Startup India initiative, new businesses that are recognised as startups receive support like benefits for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), easier rules for public procurement, and relaxed compliance with some labour and environmental laws.
By the end of 2024, a total of 1,57,706 startups had been recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). These startups are spread across all 36 States and Union Territories and have created more than 17 lakh direct jobs as per government data.
What’s heartening is the growing presence of women in this space. In 2024, more than half of all recognized startups had at least one woman director, up from just over a third in 2017. It is a sign of more women stepping into leadership, taking charge of ideas, and building businesses. The number of such startups grew almost nine times over these years, from fewer than 2,000 in 2017 to more than 17,000 in 2024.
Across states, Maharashtra had the highest number of recognised startups (14,284), followed by Delhi (8,012) and Karnataka (8,000). Other states like Uttar Pradesh (7,822), Gujarat (5,880), and Tamil Nadu (5,342) also showed good growth.
In terms of startups with at least one woman director, Maharashtra again leads with 3,045 such startups, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 1,842 and Karnataka with 1,628. Out of the 36 States and Union Territories, around 20 have more than half of their recognised startups with at least one woman director, showing a positive trend in women’s participation in entrepreneurship across the country.
30% of the Board of Directors are Women
Between 2017 and 2025, the number of people working in managerial roles across companies has steadily increased. While men continue to hold a larger share of these positions, the presence of women has been growing across all levels.
In Board of Directors roles, the number of male directors rose from 12.9 lakh in 2017 to 22.6 lakh in 2025. During the same time, female directors nearly doubled—from 4.5 lakh to 9.1 lakh. However, their overall share increased only slightly, from 26% to 29%.
A similar trend is seen in Senior Management Positions. The number of men in these roles increased from 1,50,387 to 1,94,013, while the number of women rose from 23,685 to 38,745. This led to a small rise in the proportion of women, from 14% in 2017 to 17% in 2025.
In ‘Other Management Positions’, the number of women increased from 4.3 lakh to 8.8 lakh, with their share going up from 26% to 29% during this period.
Overall, women’s representation has improved across all categories. The female-to-male ratio was highest in ‘Other Management Positions’, increasing from 0.36 in 2017 to 0.41 in 2025. In the Board of Directors, the ratio rose from 0.35 to 0.40. However, Senior Management Positions continue to show the widest gender gap, with the ratio increasing only slightly from 0.16 to 0.20.
Reducing this gap is important, as having more women in leadership roles can lead to more inclusive and balanced decision-making in companies.
Proportion of Women in Indian Air Force highest among all the armed forces
Peacekeeping and security have mostly been seen as male-dominated fields, which has made it difficult for women to be part of police and defence services. However, including more women in these areas is important to address gender inequality. Since women and girls are often the most affected in conflict situations, it is necessary to consider their perspectives while planning responses and strategies.
As of 1 January 2023, India had a total police strength of 31.5 lakh, including Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). Out of this, around 3.07 lakh were women, making up 9.74% of the total force. Women had the highest representation in the Civil Police (14.97%) and the lowest in the National Security Guard (0.72%).
When CAPF is excluded, the share of women in the total police force—which includes Civil Police, District Armed Reserve Police, Special Armed Police Battalions, and Indian Reserve Battalions, was 12.3% in 2023. This is almost double the 6.11% recorded in 2014, showing notable improvement over the years.
In the defence sector, the participation of women has shown mixed trends. In the Indian Army, women’s representation increased slightly from 3.8% in 2020 to 4.1% in 2024. The Indian Air Force stayed mostly the same, with 13.3% in 2020 and 13.4% in 2024. The Indian Navy also showed a small increase, from 5.5% to 6.8%. On the other hand, the Indian Coast Guard saw a drop in women’s representation from 6.8% to 4.8%. DRDO, which has the highest share of women among defence organisations, saw a dip from 16% in 2020 to 14.2% in 2021, but improved to 15.5% in 2024.
While progress is slow, efforts are continuing to improve women’s participation in policing and defence.
2 out of every 5 IAS and IES officers are women in 2023
Gender-wise data from selected central services between 2020 and 2024 shows slow but steady progress in female representation, though not without ups and downs. In the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the number of female officers changed from year to year, reaching a peak of 74 in 2023. The share of women in the IAS rose from 18% in 2010 to an all-time high of 41% in 2023.
In the Indian Economic Service (IES) and Indian Statistical Service (ISS), there has been consistent growth in the number of women officers. Between 2020 and 2024, the number rose from 165 to 198 in the IES and from 190 to 229 in the ISS, pointing to a positive shift. The proportion of women in the Indian Statistical Service (ISS) has remained fairly stable at an average of 41%, while in the Indian Economic Service (IES), it stands at about 30%.
However, the Subordinate Statistical Service (SSS) continues to be male-dominated. As of 2024, only 14.5% of officers in this service were women, showing that much more needs to be done to improve gender balance at this level.
