Nearly half of Indian professionals believe the gender pay gap is still over 20%, according to a Naukri survey of 20,000 jobseekers across more than 80 industries. Career breaks and workplace bias emerged as the main drivers, with IT seen as the sector most affected.
More than 50% of respondents said maternity or career breaks are the biggest reason for unequal pay, while 27% pointed to workplace bias. Both men and women share this view. The concern was strongest in IT (56%), Pharma (55%), and Automobile (53%). The gap is most visible among professionals with 5–10 years (54%) and 10–15 years (53%) of experience, when maternity breaks are most common.
Half of all professionals surveyed flagged IT as the industry with the largest gender pay gap. Other sectors trailed far behind: Real Estate (21%), FMCG (18%), and Banking (12%). Younger professionals, including freshers (53%) and mid-level workers (55%), especially noticed the disparity. Cities like Hyderabad (59%) and Bengaluru (58%) reported the highest concerns.
Senior professionals see the gap more starkly. Nearly half with 10–15 years (46%) or 15+ years (47%) of experience said the pay gap exceeds 20%. Some sectors reported higher perceptions of inequality: Aviation (57%), Education (52%), and IT (50%). Traditional industries such as Oil & Gas and Retail were viewed more positively. In Oil & Gas, over one in four said the gap is negligible.
Professionals suggested solutions to narrow the disparity. Over a third (34%) recommended performance-led promotions, rising to 39% among those with 15+ years of experience. Other widely supported measures included bias-free, transparent hiring (27%) and transparent pay practices (21%). Calls for transparency were particularly strong in Noida and Gurgaon.
The survey shows that India’s gender pay gap is widely acknowledged across industries. Career breaks and workplace bias remain central challenges. Experts say merit-based promotions, transparent hiring and pay, and supportive workplace policies are essential to creating a fairer work environment.
