Gender Pay Gap In The Workplace: Why Many Women Hide Marriage Or Maternity Plans

Last Updated:March 14, 2026, 09:00 IST

A recent Naukri.com survey says many women employees hide their marriage or maternity plans as they fear such disclosures could reduce their chances of being hired or promoted

Compared to Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai, smaller cities and traditional industries may still reflect more conventional workplace practices, which can contribute to wider disparities in hiring and promotions. (AFP Photo)

The debate on gender equality has long been a contentious one in corporate India, where companies increasingly highlight diversity hiring, leadership programmes for women, and flexible work policies as signs of progress. Yet a recent report by Naukri.com suggests that the reality for many women in the workforce remains far more complicated.

The survey found that gender pay disparities and workplace bias continue to affect women across industries. One of the most striking findings was that many women employees feel compelled to hide their plans for marriage or motherhood during job interviews or performance discussions. They fear such disclosures could reduce their chances of being hired, promoted, or given important responsibilities.

The report highlights a persistent gap between corporate diversity commitments and the everyday experiences of working women. Even as more women enter professional sectors such as technology, finance, healthcare, and media, concerns about career interruptions linked to marriage and maternity continue to shape workplace decisions.

How Large Is India’s Gender Pay Gap?

The gender pay gap has narrowed over the past decade, but it remains significant. Various labour and compensation studies indicate that women in India still earn noticeably less than men on average.

According to data from the Monster Salary Index and several industry reports, women in India earn roughly 15% to 20% less than men for comparable roles. The gap tends to widen at senior levels, where leadership positions remain dominated by men. Entry-level salary differences may be smaller, but disparities grow over time as men are more likely to receive faster promotions and larger pay increases.

While some recent 2025 reports indicate a narrowing of the gap in specific, data-driven sectors, overall disparities remain, particularly in manufacturing, technology, and at higher management levels.

Sectors such as education, healthcare, and public services show relatively smaller pay differences but still face representation challenges at senior positions.

Urban centres like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi have seen greater progress due to multinational corporate practices and diversity initiatives. As of 2026, the average salary in Multinational Corporations (MNCs) across these cities generally ranges from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh-plus per annum, depending on experience, role, and specific city. Bengaluru often leads in tech-focused MNC pay, while Mumbai and Delhi offer competitive packages, especially in finance and senior management roles. However, in smaller cities and traditional industries, gender pay gaps remain more pronounced.

Why Has Progress Been Uneven Across Sectors?

Some sectors have made visible strides in hiring and promoting women, while others continue to lag significantly behind.

Industries such as technology, finance, and manufacturing often report wider gender gaps at senior levels, even when entry-level hiring appears relatively balanced. In contrast, sectors like healthcare, education, and media tend to have higher female participation overall but still struggle with representation in top leadership roles.

The uneven progress partly reflects the nature of different industries. Highly competitive sectors with long working hours, frequent travel requirements or rigid corporate structures often make it harder for women balancing family responsibilities to remain on leadership tracks. Meanwhile, organisations that have adopted flexible work cultures or hybrid models have seen better retention of women employees.

However, experts say the real challenge lies not only in hiring women but in creating workplaces where they can sustain long-term career growth.

“The technology, finance, and manufacturing industries have maintained their tradition of employing fewer women in top positions, which creates obstacles for achieving pay equity. Women make up more than half of the workforce in education, healthcare, and services; however, these fields still need to increase their female leadership positions. The existence of informal networks, together with mentorship shortages and old pay systems in specific industries, creates obstacles for organisations that need to establish equal progress throughout their entire workforce under their diversity initiatives,” said Kanishk Agrawal, Chief Technology Officer, Judge Group India — a business management and consultant company in Noida.

Why Do Women Still Experience Pay Disparities And Workplace Bias?

Despite rising awareness about workplace inclusion, pay disparities remain a persistent feature of India’s job market. Multiple studies show that women continue to earn less than men in comparable roles across many industries.

The reasons are complex and often embedded in workplace structures. Women are sometimes offered lower starting salaries than their male colleagues, which creates a gap that widens over time as pay increases and promotions compound the difference.

“A combination of organisational and cultural factors often results in salary gaps. Women are frequently overlooked for leadership roles, higher-paying positions, and several technical fields. In addition, unconscious bias can influence hiring decisions, salary negotiations, performance reviews, and career opportunities. Career breaks due to household responsibilities can also affect long-term salary growth. In some workplaces, opaque compensation policies further perpetuate discrimination. Despite efforts by many organisations to address these issues, deeply rooted perceptions about gender roles and leadership abilities continue to shape pay outcomes,” said Shruti Swaroop, Founder, Embrace Consulting in Gurugram.

Why Women Hide Marriage Or Maternity Plans During Hiring?

According to the Naukri survey, 50% women feel compelled to hide marriage or maternity plans during job interviews or appraisal discussions due to fears of discrimination.

In some cases, women report being asked indirect questions about their marital status or future family plans during recruitment processes.

Even when such questions are framed casually, they can signal underlying assumptions about long-term availability or commitment to work.

“Many women feel pressured to withhold information about marriage or maternity plans because they believe these details will affect their chances of being hired. Employers operate under the assumption that imminent life changes will disrupt an employee’s work schedule, commitment to the job, and work performance. Candidates experience this pressure because they need to manage their family responsibilities at home while attending interviews where employers do not ask questions about family matters. The situation creates stress for women applicants because it strengthens the belief that their personal life choices will be judged unfavourably in the work environment,” explained Agrawal.

Why Employers See Marriage And Motherhood As Career Interruptions

Employers often frame concerns about maternity and marriage in terms of productivity and continuity. Many organisations worry that maternity leave or care-giving responsibilities may disrupt project timelines or team operations.

Although the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 provides up to 26 weeks of paid leave, which is among the most generous globally, it has also raised concerns among some employers about hiring women for roles requiring long-term continuity.

These concerns are often shaped by broader social expectations around caregiving. In many households, women continue to carry a disproportionate share of family responsibilities, which can reinforce employer assumptions about availability and flexibility.

The result is a perception that motherhood may lead to career interruptions, even though many women return to work successfully after maternity leave.

“The traditional workplace system requires employees to work steady hours throughout their entire career path. Some employers still view marriage through a lens that sees it as a potential work interruption. Employers generally assume that married women and mothers will not work as productively as single women… The research about modern workplaces shows that companies that provide their employees with parenting and care-giving support policies create a work environment that fosters employee dedication and commitment. Though it takes time for corporate cultures to change their existing beliefs,” Agrawal points out.

Why Many Women Do Not Reach Leadership Roles

Corporate diversity policies have increased the number of women entering professional workplaces, but this progress has not translated proportionally into leadership representation.

In many organisations, women are hired in large numbers at entry and mid-level roles but remain underrepresented in senior management positions. This phenomenon is often described as the “leaky pipeline”, where women exit the workforce or stall in their career progression before reaching top roles.

Several factors contribute to this pattern. Career breaks linked to childcare or caregiving responsibilities can slow promotion timelines. Networking opportunities, which are crucial for leadership development, are also sometimes less accessible to women.

“Diversity policy helps create a more diverse workforce; however, fair promotion practices, sponsorship, and continued coaching are often required for women to move up into leadership roles. Many women are impeded by fewer opportunities,” Swaroop says.

She further added that some companies put most of their energy into meeting their hiring diversity standards instead of creating long-term succession plans for management. It takes time to change an organisation’s culture, which requires an ongoing commitment from management that extends beyond the policy statement level.

How Pay Gaps Differ Across Sectors, Job Levels And Cities

At entry-level positions, salary differences between men and women are often relatively small. However, the gap tends to widen as employees move into mid-level and senior management roles.

“At upper management positions, where salary packages include incentives, bonuses, and equitable benefits, pay gaps between men and women typically increase. As there are fewer women in senior roles, sectors like financial services, technology, and manufacturing frequently show more noticeable differences. Although greater awareness and policy frameworks exist in urban workplaces, structural biases may still cause gaps. Transparency and monitoring by regulators are especially critical in smaller cities or growing job markets, where limited employment opportunities and fewer formal HR practices can occasionally widen these differences,” explained Swaroop.

Geography also influences outcomes. Large metropolitan cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi tend to show relatively smaller pay gaps due to stronger corporate governance and diversity commitments among multinational firms.

In contrast, smaller cities and traditional industries may still reflect more conventional workplace practices, which can contribute to wider disparities in hiring and promotion patterns.

In 2025-2026, the average salary in Tier-2 and Tier-3 and traditional industries generally ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 per month (roughly Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh per annum) for mid-level roles, with entry-level positions often starting lower, between Rs 15,000 and Rs 25,000 per month.

What Companies Can Do To Close The Gap

Addressing gender pay gaps requires more than symbolic diversity initiatives. Experts say companies must adopt structural reforms that promote transparency, fairness and accountability in compensation practices.

Pay transparency is increasingly viewed as a key step. When organisations clearly disclose salary ranges and promotion criteria, it becomes easier to identify and correct disparities.

Implementing regular pay audits, along with transparent salary bands, will enable organisations to address salary differences, Agrawal stressed. “Establishing parental leave policies that provide equal benefits to both fathers and mothers will help eliminate the belief that women should exclusively handle care-giving duties. Employees who need to balance work obligations with their personal lives can benefit from flexible work arrangements. The combination of clear anti-discrimination policies together with leadership accountability and mentorship programmes will create equal opportunities for women to advance into leadership positions,” he added.

The report highlights a persistent gap between corporate diversity commitments and the everyday experiences of working women. Even as more women enter professional sectors such as technology, finance, healthcare, and media, concerns about career interruptions linked to marriage and maternity continue to shape workplace decisions.

How Large Is India’s Gender Pay Gap?

The gender pay gap has narrowed over the past decade, but it remains significant. Various labour and compensation studies indicate that women in India still earn noticeably less than men on average.

According to data from the Monster Salary Index and several industry reports, women in India earn roughly 15% to 20% less than men for comparable roles. The gap tends to widen at senior levels, where leadership positions remain dominated by men. Entry-level salary differences may be smaller, but disparities grow over time as men are more likely to receive faster promotions and larger pay increases.

While some recent 2025 reports indicate a narrowing of the gap in specific, data-driven sectors, overall disparities remain, particularly in manufacturing, technology, and at higher management levels.

Sectors such as education, healthcare, and public services show relatively smaller pay differences but still face representation challenges at senior positions.

Urban centres like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi have seen greater progress due to multinational corporate practices and diversity initiatives. As of 2026, the average salary in Multinational Corporations (MNCs) across these cities generally ranges from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh-plus per annum, depending on experience, role, and specific city. Bengaluru often leads in tech-focused MNC pay, while Mumbai and Delhi offer competitive packages, especially in finance and senior management roles. However, in smaller cities and traditional industries, gender pay gaps remain more pronounced.

Why Has Progress Been Uneven Across Sectors?

Some sectors have made visible strides in hiring and promoting women, while others continue to lag significantly behind.

Industries such as technology, finance, and manufacturing often report wider gender gaps at senior levels, even when entry-level hiring appears relatively balanced. In contrast, sectors like healthcare, education, and media tend to have higher female participation overall but still struggle with representation in top leadership roles.

The uneven progress partly reflects the nature of different industries. Highly competitive sectors with long working hours, frequent travel requirements or rigid corporate structures often make it harder for women balancing family responsibilities to remain on leadership tracks. Meanwhile, organisations that have adopted flexible work cultures or hybrid models have seen better retention of women employees.

However, experts say the real challenge lies not only in hiring women but in creating workplaces where they can sustain long-term career growth.

“The technology, finance, and manufacturing industries have maintained their tradition of employing fewer women in top positions, which creates obstacles for achieving pay equity. Women make up more than half of the workforce in education, healthcare, and services; however, these fields still need to increase their female leadership positions. The existence of informal networks, together with mentorship shortages and old pay systems in specific industries, creates obstacles for organisations that need to establish equal progress throughout their entire workforce under their diversity initiatives,” said Kanishk Agrawal, Chief Technology Officer, Judge Group India — a business management and consultant company in Noida.

Why Do Women Still Experience Pay Disparities And Workplace Bias?

Despite rising awareness about workplace inclusion, pay disparities remain a persistent feature of India’s job market. Multiple studies show that women continue to earn less than men in comparable roles across many industries.

The reasons are complex and often embedded in workplace structures. Women are sometimes offered lower starting salaries than their male colleagues, which creates a gap that widens over time as pay increases and promotions compound the difference.

“A combination of organisational and cultural factors often results in salary gaps. Women are frequently overlooked for leadership roles, higher-paying positions, and several technical fields. In addition, unconscious bias can influence hiring decisions, salary negotiations, performance reviews, and career opportunities. Career breaks due to household responsibilities can also affect long-term salary growth. In some workplaces, opaque compensation policies further perpetuate discrimination. Despite efforts by many organisations to address these issues, deeply rooted perceptions about gender roles and leadership abilities continue to shape pay outcomes,” said Shruti Swaroop, Founder, Embrace Consulting in Gurugram.

Why Women Hide Marriage Or Maternity Plans During Hiring?

According to the Naukri survey, 50% women feel compelled to hide marriage or maternity plans during job interviews or appraisal discussions due to fears of discrimination.

In some cases, women report being asked indirect questions about their marital status or future family plans during recruitment processes.

Even when such questions are framed casually, they can signal underlying assumptions about long-term availability or commitment to work.

“Many women feel pressured to withhold information about marriage or maternity plans because they believe these details will affect their chances of being hired. Employers operate under the assumption that imminent life changes will disrupt an employee’s work schedule, commitment to the job, and work performance. Candidates experience this pressure because they need to manage their family responsibilities at home while attending interviews where employers do not ask questions about family matters. The situation creates stress for women applicants because it strengthens the belief that their personal life choices will be judged unfavourably in the work environment,” explained Agrawal.

Why Employers See Marriage And Motherhood As Career Interruptions

Employers often frame concerns about maternity and marriage in terms of productivity and continuity. Many organisations worry that maternity leave or care-giving responsibilities may disrupt project timelines or team operations.

Although the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 provides up to 26 weeks of paid leave, which is among the most generous globally, it has also raised concerns among some employers about hiring women for roles requiring long-term continuity.

These concerns are often shaped by broader social expectations around caregiving. In many households, women continue to carry a disproportionate share of family responsibilities, which can reinforce employer assumptions about availability and flexibility.

The result is a perception that motherhood may lead to career interruptions, even though many women return to work successfully after maternity leave.

“The traditional workplace system requires employees to work steady hours throughout their entire career path. Some employers still view marriage through a lens that sees it as a potential work interruption. Employers generally assume that married women and mothers will not work as productively as single women… The research about modern workplaces shows that companies that provide their employees with parenting and care-giving support policies create a work environment that fosters employee dedication and commitment. Though it takes time for corporate cultures to change their existing beliefs,” Agrawal points out.

Why Many Women Do Not Reach Leadership Roles

Corporate diversity policies have increased the number of women entering professional workplaces, but this progress has not translated proportionally into leadership representation.

In many organisations, women are hired in large numbers at entry and mid-level roles but remain underrepresented in senior management positions. This phenomenon is often described as the “leaky pipeline”, where women exit the workforce or stall in their career progression before reaching top roles.

Several factors contribute to this pattern. Career breaks linked to childcare or caregiving responsibilities can slow promotion timelines. Networking opportunities, which are crucial for leadership development, are also sometimes less accessible to women.

“Diversity policy helps create a more diverse workforce; however, fair promotion practices, sponsorship, and continued coaching are often required for women to move up into leadership roles. Many women are impeded by fewer opportunities,” Swaroop says.

She further added that some companies put most of their energy into meeting their hiring diversity standards instead of creating long-term succession plans for management. It takes time to change an organisation’s culture, which requires an ongoing commitment from management that extends beyond the policy statement level.

How Pay Gaps Differ Across Sectors, Job Levels And Cities

At entry-level positions, salary differences between men and women are often relatively small. However, the gap tends to widen as employees move into mid-level and senior management roles.

“At upper management positions, where salary packages include incentives, bonuses, and equitable benefits, pay gaps between men and women typically increase. As there are fewer women in senior roles, sectors like financial services, technology, and manufacturing frequently show more noticeable differences. Although greater awareness and policy frameworks exist in urban workplaces, structural biases may still cause gaps. Transparency and monitoring by regulators are especially critical in smaller cities or growing job markets, where limited employment opportunities and fewer formal HR practices can occasionally widen these differences,” explained Swaroop.

Geography also influences outcomes. Large metropolitan cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi tend to show relatively smaller pay gaps due to stronger corporate governance and diversity commitments among multinational firms.

In contrast, smaller cities and traditional industries may still reflect more conventional workplace practices, which can contribute to wider disparities in hiring and promotion patterns.

In 2025-2026, the average salary in Tier-2 and Tier-3 and traditional industries generally ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 per month (roughly Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh per annum) for mid-level roles, with entry-level positions often starting lower, between Rs 15,000 and Rs 25,000 per month.

What Companies Can Do To Close The Gap

Addressing gender pay gaps requires more than symbolic diversity initiatives. Experts say companies must adopt structural reforms that promote transparency, fairness and accountability in compensation practices.

Pay transparency is increasingly viewed as a key step. When organisations clearly disclose salary ranges and promotion criteria, it becomes easier to identify and correct disparities.

Implementing regular pay audits, along with transparent salary bands, will enable organisations to address salary differences, Agrawal stressed. “Establishing parental leave policies that provide equal benefits to both fathers and mothers will help eliminate the belief that women should exclusively handle care-giving duties. Employees who need to balance work obligations with their personal lives can benefit from flexible work arrangements. The combination of clear anti-discrimination policies together with leadership accountability and mentorship programmes will create equal opportunities for women to advance into leadership positions,” he added.

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