Female Median Salaries in Nifty50 Companies Trail Male Counterparts by 10%

A recent analysis by ET reveals that female employees in India’s top companies earn around 10% less on average than their male counterparts. This study, based on median salaries in Nifty50 companies, shows that in 31 of these firms, men earn more than women, resulting in a 9.2% pay gap. Median male salaries average ₹12.9 lakh, while female salaries are around ₹11.7 lakh.
Several factors contribute to this gap, including fewer women in senior and top management roles and career interruptions for women. The pay gap is most pronounced in companies like Adani Enterprises, Bajaj Auto, Adani Ports, Infosys, and LTIMindtree, where male employees earn 30–46% more than females. On the flip side, companies like Tata Consumer, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finance, and Cipla report median female salaries 20–73% higher.
Furthermore, the gender pay gap is less pronounced at entry levels but widens as employees advance in their careers. Team Lease Digital data shows a 12–15% pay gap at mid-management and 10% at C-suite levels. Reasons include women hesitating to negotiate higher pay, stereotypes about gender roles, the “glass cliff” phenomenon, and women ending up in roles less connected to a company’s core business.
Traditional female career choices in non-technical roles also play a role, but this is changing with more women entering STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. The analysis emphasises the importance of addressing these disparities in compensation, highlighting the need for pay parity and a merit-based culture.