In a revealing and data-driven assessment of gender realities within India’s legal profession, a nationwide survey conducted by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has found that over 81% of women lawyers believe their professional journey has been more difficult than that of their male counterparts, highlighting entrenched structural and institutional barriers across the Bar.
The findings, released at a national conference attended by members of the Supreme Court of India, are based on responses from more than 2,600 women legal professionals across India, making it one of the most comprehensive empirical studies on gender disparity in the Indian legal ecosystem.
The survey reveals a striking consensus among women lawyers. 81.3% respondents stated their professional journey has been more difficult than male peers. 41.1% described it as “much more difficult”. Nearly 63.7% found the profession discouraging at some stage
These findings point toward a systemic rather than incidental disadvantage, cutting across experience levels, geographies, and practice areas.The SCBA report identifies several structural impediments that disproportionately affect women in the profession. Over 72% respondents reported that gender bias affects professional networking, which remains a critical factor in litigation-based practice. Unlike corporate sectors, litigation often relies on informal mentorship and referrals, where women face exclusion from established networks.
A majority of respondents indicated that senior positions and leadership roles remain male-dominated, with many perceiving advancements to be easier for men.
Earlier SCBA findings also show that over 57% women feel they lack equal access to leadership roles in Bar institutions.
The survey underscores how domestic responsibilities disproportionately impact women’s careers. 71.5% said marriage affected their professional work. Over half reported difficulty continuing practice after childbirth and many faced challenges in securing adjournments or maintaining active casework
This reflects a structural incompatibility between litigation schedules and caregiving responsibilities.
The report highlights the precarious financial realities of early legal practice. A large number of women lack office space, clerical support, or access to paid legal databases. Many face financial instability in the initial years of practice
These constraints are particularly severe for first-generation lawyers, who constituted a significant portion of respondents.
The survey also reveals concerning indicators of workplace environment including instances of gender bias and stereotyping remain widespread. Reports of sexual harassment and retaliation were noted, with many respondents expressing lack of trust in grievance mechanisms
Earlier SCBA data similarly indicated that over one-third of women lawyers have experienced gender bias in practice.
The findings of the survey raise important constitutional questions, particularly in light of:
Article 14 – Equality Before Law
Systemic barriers that restrict equal participation of women in the legal profession may amount to institutional inequality, even in the absence of formal discrimination.
Article 15 – Non-Discrimination
Persistent gender bias in access to opportunities, leadership, and professional growth reflects indirect discrimination, requiring policy intervention.
Article 21 – Right to Dignity and Profession
The right to pursue a profession includes the right to do so in an environment free from structural disadvantage and exclusion.
The Supreme Court has, in multiple judgments, emphasised that formal equality must translate into substantive equality, especially in professional spaces.
A key insight emerging from the survey is that the problem is not entry into the profession but retention and growth.
While women are increasingly entering law schools and enrolling as advocates, they face higher attrition rates, slower career progression and limited representation in senior roles
This indicates a pipeline leakage, where systemic challenges prevent women from sustaining long-term careers in litigation.
The survey identifies several urgent reforms needed to address these disparities like Institutional mentorship programmes, flexible working structures and maternity support, gender-sensitive infrastructure in courts, transparent allocation of work and opportunities and mandatory representation of women in leadership roles. A significant proportion of respondents also supported minimum representation policies in judicial and government panels.
The findings assume greater importance in light of the broader judicial landscape; Women remain underrepresented in senior advocacy and judiciary. Structural barriers at the Bar directly affect the pipeline for judicial appointments. Gender imbalance in legal practice has implications for diversity in justice delivery
Thus, the issue is not merely professional it impacts the quality and inclusivity of the justice system itself.
The SCBA survey presents a stark and evidence-based picture of the challenges faced by women lawyers in India. By revealing that over 80% perceive their journey as harder than that of men, it shifts the discourse from anecdotal narratives to systemic diagnosis.
The findings underscore a critical reality: formal access to the profession does not guarantee equal opportunity within it.
As the legal system continues to evolve, the challenge ahead lies in ensuring that gender equality at the Bar is not aspirational, but structural and enforceable a transformation essential not only for the profession, but for the integrity of justice itself.
