Gender Pay Gap Persists in India’s Tech GCCs, Despite Rising Female Participation: TeamLease Digital

As India strengthens its position as a hub for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), a new report by TeamLease Digital reveals that gender-based pay gaps persist across levels in the tech sector, despite rising female participation. The analysis focuses on the contractual tech workforce and explores both representation and compensation trends.

GCCs have been increasing gender diversity in recent years, driven by structured Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and a growing presence in finance, HR, and digital operations—fields with traditionally higher female representation. From 2023 to 2024, the share of women in mid-level roles rose from 12.12% to 13.68%, while senior-level representation increased from 8.14% to 13.60%.

However, the report points out that a significant pay gap remains. Across all levels, women in tech GCCs earn 19% less than men on average. The disparity is 4.4% at entry-level, 6% at mid-level, and 16.3% at senior levels. Across industries, the average senior-level gender pay gap in GCCs stands at 16.4%.

Sector-specific data indicates that the BFSI domain has one of the highest disparities, with women earning 26.3% less overall and 23.8% less at senior levels. Lifesciences and Healthcare GCCs follow closely, with a 29.5% overall gap and a 23.5% senior-level gap. Automotive GCCs show a 26.3% gender pay gap in tech roles, while Tech GCCs record a 28.5% difference in these positions.

The analysis also draws attention to geographic variations. In Tier 1 cities, women comprise around 40% of the GCC workforce, compared to 23.36% in Tier 2 cities. Pay disparities are more prominent in Tier 1, particularly in BFSI (30.6%) and Lifesciences (28.6%). In contrast, Tier 2 cities report slightly lower pay gaps overall, except in tech roles where a 23% disparity persists.

Neeti Sharma, CEO of TeamLease Digital, said the findings underscore the need for organisations to focus not just on improving representation but also on ensuring equitable compensation and opportunities for career advancement. She noted that addressing these systemic challenges is key to harnessing India’s full talent potential.

The report suggests that while progress is being made in terms of female workforce participation, especially in leadership roles, consistent efforts are required to bridge pay gaps and promote equity in India's expanding GCC landscape.