Why female admissions at IITs are stuck at 20% and what's really holding progress back

Despite dedicated efforts to boost gender diversity, female enrolment in undergraduate BTech programmes at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) remains largely stagnant. In 2025, women constituted only 20.15% of the total BTech admissions—just over one in five students.

This figure reflects a slight increase from 2020, when women made up 19.90% of total admissions. While the absolute number of female students rose from 3,185 in 2020 to 3,664 in 2025, the increase is proportional to the overall expansion of seats, not a significant shift in gender representation.

Impact of the Supernumerary Seats Scheme
The Supernumerary Seats Scheme (SSS), introduced in 2018, aimed to reserve 20% of seats exclusively for female candidates in order to address the low share of women in IIT BTech programmes. In the initial years, this intervention led to notable progress, raising female representation from 8% in 2016 to nearly 20% by 2020.

By 2025, a total of 3,633 female-only seats (including supernumerary seats) were allotted. Additionally, 31 women secured admission through the gender-neutral pool, indicating that competitive performance among female candidates has improved in some cases. However, the overall proportion has plateaued near the 20% mark over the past five years.

Year-wise data shows limited growth in share
Data from the Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) between 2020 and 2025 shows that the increase in female admissions is mostly numerical rather than proportional. As shown below, growth in female representation has failed to exceed the 20–21% range:
The data highlights that while more women are being admitted in absolute terms, gender representation has remained static.

Barriers beyond admission continue to persist
Multiple institutional and social factors contribute to the stagnation. Admission to IITs typically requires two years of intensive coaching, often far from home. Families may hesitate to send daughters to such centres, citing safety and relocation concerns. The high cost of coaching and limited access to quality preparatory resources also disproportionately affect female aspirants.

Top-ranking female candidates sometimes bypass IITs altogether, opting for institutes closer to home or those offering more flexible academic environments. Issues such as restricted branch allocation, concerns over campus climate, and long-standing gender stereotypes around engineering disciplines also play a role.

Support systems and confidence gaps affect choices
Confidence gaps in technical subjects, particularly mathematics and physics, often begin at the school level and can influence career decisions. While some IITs have introduced mentorship programmes and enhanced campus facilities, these efforts have yet to translate into a significant shift in enrolment patterns.

Experts attribute the stagnation to insufficient early exposure to STEM fields, uneven parental encouragement, and a lack of sustained institutional support. Addressing these challenges requires interventions beyond quotas, including inclusive campus policies, flexible academic pathways, and broader societal change.