ICT IMPACT

House Hold Transformation Nation’s Economy

1950s 1970s 1990s

Knowledge RevolutionIndustrial RevolutionGreen Revolution

Emerging Trend in Education

Break Through in GIRLS Education!!!

• National Programme for Education of Girls in Elementary Level

• Computer Literacy at Primary & Secondary Schools

• Exponential Growth of Institutions for Higher Education

• High Enrollment of Girls in Science & Engineering

• Computer Literacy for Women – Drive by Training Institutes

Literacy Rate of Women on the increase 14% between

1991 & 2001

Affordability ? Reach ? Opportunity ? Social Reformation ?

Educational Institutions Vs Female Enrollment

4862

886

7929

2223

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

Educ

atio

nal I

nstit

utio

ns

1991 2001

Year

General EducationProfessional Education

33% Enrollment

40% Enrollment

Female Literacy Rate

64

73

31

47

40

54

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Lit

erac

y R

ate

in %

Period1991 2001 1991 2001 1991 2001

Urban

Total Literacy

Rural

Legend:

9 % Growth

16 % Growth 14 % Growth

“Indian Women in IT” – Remarkable Turnaround !!

• US $ 16500 Million turn over in 2002-2003

• 3.15% of National GDP

• # 2 Contributor to Nation’s Foreign Exchange Earnings

• 20.4% share in India’s Exports

• Geographical Spread over Worldwide Market

- Americas including Canada & Latin America

- Asia Pacific,West Asia, South East Asia

- Europe

- Africa

Who were behind this revolution?

“Obviously Indian Women in IT”

Indian IT Market:1997-2002

16500

13783

12410

835760145021

3.15

2.87

2.66

1.87

1.451.22

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03

Year

IT M

arke

t in

US

$ M

illi

on

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

GD

P

IT Market in US $ MillionGDP Share

Indian Domestic IT Market:1997-20027000

3248 33814351

6114

6213 6598

0.79 0.82

0.98

1.36 1.271.26

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03

Year

IT M

arke

t in

US

$ M

illi

on

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

GD

P

Indian Domestic IT Marketin US $ Million

GDP Share

Educated Women in India find foothold in ICT

Can Indian Women make good this shortfall & sustain growth ?

• ICT access & literacy drive creates cultural &

economic independence for Indian women.

• 21% are Women out of 650,000 professionals employed in IT

• Expected to touch 35% by the Year 2005

• Already 65% women in ITES segment

• 1:3 to 1:7, Female: Male Gender ratio in employment

• 76% of this strength is graduate degree or above

• 1.1 Million people on demand estimated by Year 2008

• 235,000 shortfall anticipated by 2008

Male Female Gender Ratio

15600

389544484

14828

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

# E

mp

loye

es

MNC/WoS Indian

Type of Company

Female EmployeesMale Employees

Sample Size: 186WOS/MNC/JVS :29 %

Indian Cos :71 %

ITES : 12 %

IT Services : 88 %

Gender Ratio:(Female:Male)Ranges from

1:2 to 1:7 in Indian Cos

1:5 to 1:7 in WOS/MNCs

19475

59312

13366

6109

55972

3340

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

# E

mpl

oyee

s

MNC/WoS Indian

Type of Company

ITES

IT Services

Staff Employed

Sample Size: 186WOS/MNC/JVS : 54 #Indian Cos : 132 #

ITES : 56 # [ WoS/MNC/JV - 18 #, Indian Cos - 38 # ]

IT Services : 130 # [ WoS/MNC/JV - 36 #, Indian Cos - 94 # ]

19475

59312

Women in IT Pyramid Vs Effort & Time Demand

A: Data Entry/Billing. Handling ICT in various functions in Organization

B: ITES Industry / Kiosk Management

C: Handling ICT in Banks / Software Programmers

D: Project Managers / Technical Architect

E: Quality Assurance & Hi-Tech specialization in IT

F: Senior Executive Managing IT

Effort &

Time Demand

Entrepreneur

Employment

Segment

Women in ICT – Grass Root to Pyramidal !!

• Today at (or) out of school, in (or) out of college

- Women & ICT are integral

• Basic operations to high-tech IT applications

- Women make their presence felt

• Employee to Entrepreneur

- Women have excelled in the last decade

• Family & Work

- Women have balanced their time & effort

Positive Trend but are they a reckoning force for economic growth?

“Life Cycle Diamond”

“Life Cycle Diamond” – Women flaking social stigma !!

Indian Women in IT are learning to cross

the crucial phase of life to enhance career.

Marriage - Baby Phase

Case Study – Reflection of Thoughts

More support from

Family & Society for

Women at work

ICT access in geometrical

progression. Progress

of Women is stymied in

conservative society

Nuclear Family System

deterrent for

Women in IT

Sexual harassment protection &

Working in

Shifts- Boon for

Women in IT

Marrying men in

Foreign Country

draws Women to IT

“Glass Ceiling”

Predominant for Women

to climb-up the

ladder in Organization

Kalyani

Mallika

Radha

Ann

Kanchana

Sarada

Emerging Trends – Women in IT: What they said!!

Mythili Ramesh:

• Gender discrimination on attitudes & perspectives remain.

• 100% output for family & employer. Faster burnout.

• Flexi-timings & caring organization

Naseem Mariam:

• Socializing is yet to catch-up.

• Family support for business travel & client interaction.

• Tax relief towards child care & concierge services

Sumitra Seshan:

• ICT education for women at par with Men

• Quality Engineering institutions created ample

opportunity.

• More graduates but less number turn out for work.Vidya Balasubramanian:

• Ethics committee in organization to listen to voice of women

• Apt environment with pick-up & drop + support for rudimentary

household chores.

• Motivational training to help women look at long standing association

with employer

Emerging Trends: Path breaking reformations!!

• Spouse support & Managing IT as an entrepreneur.

• Marriages amongst IT Professionals leads them from

being employee to become employer.

• ‘Work from home’- options for drop out women

to sustain interest & continue their profession.

• Less strenuous & flexi time work during Marriage-Baby phase.

• More technology oriented capability demonstrated

• Successful Senior Executives overcoming cultural & social

pressures managing IT operations

Government Policies & Initiatives

• 30% employment of women attracts capital subsidy.

• e-governance & computerization of government operations

has created ICT Access.

• Rural Knowledge centres to enhance self esteem &

social prestige of women.

• Exclusive financial assistance for Women Entrepreneurs.

• Labor Law amendment for women to work in all shifts.

More changes in policy for women to support Nation’s economy expected

Conclusion

• Competency & Work Demand when met, gender

equality is established.

• Emerging Trends are indicators of portrayal of Indian Women as part of global community.

• Cultural, Ethical & Social changes will continue for productive role by women in Nation’s economy

Conclusion (Contd…)

• Forced & chosen change due to IT revolution

will benefit Indian women.

• ‘There are no road blocks for Women in any

field’ as said by

Ms.Kiran Bedi, IPS –

‘Ramon Magsaysay Award Winner’

What I say ? My Belief … • As enabler of IT over the last 12 Years being in the

Ministry of Communication & Information Technology /

STPI, I believe that

• Women’s share in ICT could easily grow to 45 ~ 50% in

next 5 years provided women:

- repositions & become more career oriented.

- prioritize & manage issues.

• Higher percentage of Women in Senior Positions in IT

will become a reality.

WIT 2003 Conference is towards this direction.

“ Yes there are really no road blocks for Women in ICT”

R.RAJALAKSHMIDirector

Website: www.stpc.soft.net Email: rrl@stpc.soft.net