A new survey reveals that 45% of jobseekers in India believe the gender pay gap exceeds 20%. Maternity-related career breaks and workplace bias are the main causes. The Naukri survey, covering 80 industries, found that 51% of professionals named maternity breaks as the primary reason for the gap.
Workplace bias was cited by 27% of respondents, especially in sectors like IT, pharma, and automobiles. These industries reported the highest levels of pay inequality. IT professionals led at 56%.
The survey also shows that mid-level professionals with 5-10 years of experience felt the biggest impact of career breaks on pay. Hyderabad (59%) and Bengaluru (58%) had the highest concerns over pay inequities.
IT topped the list as the industry with the widest gender pay gap. Other sectors like aviation and education also had high perceptions of disparity, while real estate, FMCG, and banking had lower concerns.
The survey suggests performance-led promotions and bias-free hiring practices as solutions. Noida and Gurgaon had the strongest calls for pay transparency.
