The conversation around women in STEM is often limited to college admissions and coding bootcamps. But what happens after that is the real story. As the data shows, women in STEM are vanishing from the workforce (and from the boardroom).
Imagine a pipeline as a career or academic journey. If 100 women start this journey, say in college or entry-level jobs, ideally, the same number should reach the top. But in reality, the pipeline thins out at every stage. Yes, at every stage, some women drop out of the path. The numbers slowly shrink.
The pipeline flow actually starts well. Women join universities in large numbers, do well in internships, and land promising first jobs. However, by the time you look at leadership positions, most of those women are missing. Clark Blickenstaff introduced the term leaky pipeline in 2005 to explain how women and minorities drop out of science and technology fields as they move forward in their careers.
India’s bright start, dim finish for women in STEM
India shows promising numbers in education. The Gross Enrollment Ratio for girls in primary school stands at 96.3%, matching that of boys. This proves that access to basic education is no longer the main issue.
Women continue to pursue STEM subjects at higher levels. In fact, 48% of STEM graduates in India are women, one of the highest rates in the world. At the PhD level, women still make up 41% of students, but this marks the beginning of the leak. As roles become more specialised, fewer women remain.
The gap widens further in employment. Only 27% of India’s STEM workforce consists of women. The situation worsens at the top. Just 14% of leadership positions in STEM go to women. Despite high participation in education, very few women end up in decision-making roles.
Why corporates fail women
The Women in the Workplace report, based on input from over 15,000 employees and 280 HR leaders, confirms that women have made progress in corporate leadership roles over the past ten years. For instance, women now hold 29% of C-suite roles, up from 17% in 2015. But despite these gains, the overall progress remains fragile.
Women of colour face even greater challenges. They are underrepresented at every level and continue to report that both gender and race limit their career growth. Their daily work experiences have barely improved and in some cases, worsened compared to a decade ago.
The early stages of a corporate career show the biggest cracks. Women are still less likely to be hired for entry-level jobs, and even fewer women get promoted to their first managerial roles. In 2018, 79 women were promoted to manager for every 100 men. In 2024, the number is only slightly better, at 81.
India Inc. – Where are the women leaders?
In India, women make up nearly half of all university students. However, the numbers drop sharply in the workplace. Only about one in three entry-level corporate roles go to women. The numbers drop again at the managerial level, where women hold just 24% of positions. By the time you look at the top of the ladder, which is the C-suite, only 17% of those seats belong to women. On corporate boards, the representation sits at 20%.
A recent study by Xpheno looked at 400 C-suite executives from 117 Indian unicorns and found that women hold only 10% of top leadership roles. While women make up 54% of Chief Human Resource Officers, only 2% are CEOs, less than 1% are CTOs or CIOs, and just 18% hold CMO roles.
Where we lose women in STEM careers
The leaks come from systems that fail to support women, especially at critical life stages. The most significant drop often happens when women become mothers. In India, 73% of women leave their jobs after childbirth. Half of these women step away specifically to care for their children. Even among those who try to return to work, nearly 48% leave again within just four months. These numbers highlight a system that offers little room for women to balance work and family.
Despite frequent conversations around work-life balance, flexible roles remain rare. Many organisations offer part-time options or remote work on paper, but few follow through with meaningful implementation. Long hours continue to be a marker of dedication in many companies. This outdated belief punishes anyone who needs flexibility, including working mothers.
Women also face another impossible choice in the workplace: remain visible and risk criticism, or stay quiet and risk being ignored. Many work cultures still label confident women as “too aggressive” while rewarding assertiveness in men.
This creates a no-win situation. Speaking up can trigger judgment. Holding back often leads to missed opportunities. For women navigating early careers, new motherhood, or leadership aspirations, this environment causes more to leave than stay.
Fixing the future: How to seal the pipeline for women in STEM
Fixing the leaky pipeline requires more than short-term campaigns. It starts by changing how organisations define success. Hiring more women into early roles isn’t enough. Companies must also support their growth into leadership. This includes offering flexible work models, transparent promotion paths, and mentorship programs that go beyond surface-level advice. Managers should focus on performance, not presence.
Fixing the leak starts with listening. Organisations often fail to ask the right questions. Instead of assuming what women need, leadership must listen. Exit interviews, employee feedback, and honest conversations can reveal where support systems fall short. Only then can real change happen.
At Changeincontent, we believe the leak is not in women’s ambition—it is in the system’s inability to retain them. And we are not done exploring this. Read how media and scientific communities also fail women: How the Matilda Effect Keeps Women Invisible in STEM
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history, encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and marginalised individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
