Women participation in contract IT roles touch 40% in FY26
12 Apr 2026

The representation of women in contract or flexible roles within the information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services sector in India has reached 40% in fiscal year 2026 (FY26).

This is a major jump from previous years and highlights the growing acceptance of this workforce model.

The data comes from a report by talent solutions provider Careernet, titled Women in IT/ITeS: Trends in Contractual/Flexi Roles.

Finance and accounting, data science most popular among women
Growth

The report highlights a 10% increase in women's placements from FY22 to FY26.

The most popular roles among women are in finance and accounting (43%), data science and analytics (34%), UX, design and architecture (31%), IT and information security (29%), as well as engineering - software and QA (27%).

Consulting is lagging at 20%, indicating areas with more room for inclusion.

Bengaluru, Hyderabad top cities for women's participation
Regional distribution

The report also notes a geographical concentration of women's participation in IT roles, with metro hubs like Bengaluru (21%), Hyderabad (20%), and Pune (17%) accounting for the majority.

Delhi NCR (13%) and Chennai (9%) follow, while Mumbai (7%) and Kolkata (2%) have smaller shares.

Tier II cities account for 11% of women's participation, showing a continued focus on established tech corridors.

Early to mid-career sweet spot for women
Career span

The report highlights that women's participation is highest in the early to mid-career stages, with professionals having 5-8 years of experience (31%) and less than 2 years (30%) making up a large part of the active talent pool.

However, a decline is seen at senior levels with 9-14 years (13%) and over 14 years (4%), indicating possible gaps in retention and advancement.