March 07: At a time when conversations around women in technology often centre on access, new data from Masai suggests the shift is now about depth. Women make up 26% of the platform’s active learner base, or 7,206 students, and a majority of those who secure jobs are entering core software development roles rather than support functions.
Placement data shows 32% of women graduates have moved into Software Development Engineer roles, while 31% are in MERN stack development. Another 16% have taken up tech agnostic roles and 12% have entered data analytics. Smaller shares have gone into software testing at 4% and into artificial intelligence and digital marketing at 2% each. Taken together, more than 60% of placements are concentrated in mainstream coding tracks.
Hiring has come from a mix of large IT services firms and smaller technology companies. Recruiters include Infosys and Sopra Steria, alongside firms such as QSpiders, Stratogent, MercuryAI and Bizotic, among others.
Where outcomes begin to diverge is geography. Women placed in metro cities report an average cost to company of Rs 3.24 lakh per annum. This falls to Rs 2.85 lakh in Tier 1 cities and declines further to Rs 2.53 lakh, Rs 2.40 lakh and Rs 2.35 lakh across Tier 2, Tier 3 and Tier 4 towns respectively. The spread points to widening access beyond metros, but also to a continuing compensation gap linked to location.
The age profile adds another layer. Nearly 49% of women learners are between 20 and 25 years old, while 26.51% are in the 25 to 30 brackets. About 13% are over 30, suggesting participation from career returners and those seeking a shift. At the time of placement, 39.15% were already employed, while 60.85% were not working.
Learner feedback indicates that the barriers are often structural rather than academic. Women cite managing multiple responsibilities, pregnancy and post maternity transitions, marriage related expectations and financial pressures as key constraints. Many also report restrictions around relocation and attending placement drives.
Within the organisation itself, women account for 16% of leadership roles, with 12% having moved into senior positions. As participation rises in classrooms and coding roles, representation at decision making levels remains a work in progress.
Prateek Shukla, Co-Founder & CEO, Masai, said,
“For years, the conversation around women in tech has focused on access. What we are witnessing now is a decisive shift toward ownership of core engineering roles. The fact that over 60% of women graduates are moving into SDE and full-stack development positions signals growing confidence, capability and intent. More women are choosing to build, architect and ship products rather than remain on the margins of technology teams. As ecosystem enablers, our responsibility is to ensure that talent is not limited by geography, life stage or circumstance. The rise of women in mainstream coding tracks is not a trend — it is a structural shift in how India’s tech workforce is evolving.