NSE‑सूचीबद्ध कंपनियों में महिलाओं का प्रतिनिधित्व स्थिर: आधे में महिला प्रबंधक नहीं – Udaiti Foundation रिपोर्ट 2024‑25

<p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="National Stock Exchange — India’s leading stock exchange where listed companies trade shares (GS3: Economy)">National Stock Exchange</span> (NSE) hosts 2,647 listed firms, yet an analysis by the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Udaiti Foundation — A non‑profit research organization that conducts studies on gender and labour market issues (GS3: Economy)">Udaiti Foundation</span> reveals that almost half of these companies have <strong>no women in key managerial positions</strong>. The average presence of women in such senior roles is merely <strong>0.64 per company</strong> for the fiscal year 2024‑25, and only <strong>10 % of firms</strong> employ more than one woman at this level.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>Out of 2,647 NSE‑listed firms, <strong>≈ 49 % lack any female senior manager</strong>.</li> <li>Women’s share in the <span class="key-term" data-definition="formal workforce — Employees who work in registered, regulated enterprises and are covered by labour laws (GS3: Economy)">formal workforce</span> fell to <strong>18 %</strong>, down one percentile point from 2020‑21.</li> <li>In the higher‑earning bracket (monthly salary > ₹18,000), female representation dropped from <strong>21 %</strong> in 2020‑21 to <strong>12 %</strong> in 2024‑25.</li> <li>Conversely, among lower‑paid workers as defined by the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Code on Wages — A statutory framework that classifies workers based on wage thresholds for labour law applicability (GS3: Economy)">Code on Wages</span>, women’s share rose from <strong>19 %</strong> to <strong>23 %</strong>.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>The study underscores a widening gender gap at the top of the corporate hierarchy. While the overall female workforce in the formal sector remains modest, the decline is most pronounced in better‑paid jobs, indicating that women are increasingly confined to lower‑wage positions. The <span class="key-term" data-definition="key managerial positions — Senior roles such as CEOs, CFOs, and senior executives responsible for strategic decisions (GS3: Economy)">key managerial positions</span> metric captures this disparity, as it reflects the decision‑making power held by women within firms.</p> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>Gender parity in employment is a recurring theme in <strong>GS‑3 (Economy)</strong> and <strong>GS‑4 (Ethics)</strong>. The data highlights challenges in achieving the "Women’s Empowerment" goals of the National Policy for Women and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Aspirants must understand how labour‑market indicators, such as the share of women in the formal sector and wage‑based classifications, feed into policy formulation, corporate governance reforms, and inclusive growth strategies.</p> <h3>Way Forward</h3> <ul> <li>Strengthen enforcement of existing gender‑diversity norms under the Companies Act and promote voluntary disclosure of board‑level gender comp