Lok Sabha Question No. 4975 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-23
Subject: Women Directors in Government Owned Companies
Ministry: CORPORATE AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. Sharmila Sarkar

## MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4975

## ANSWERED ON MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2026

Chaitra 02, 1948 (Saka)

Women Directors in Government Owned Companies

4975. Dr. Sharmila Sarkar:

Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  total  number  of  directors  on  the  boards  of  Government  owned companies since 2014, gender-wise and year-wise;
- (b)  whether  all  Government  owned  companies  including  Public  Sector Enterprises  (PSEs)  have  appointed  at  least  one  woman  director  on  their boards, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor along with the details of such companies that do not have women directors on their boards; and
- (d) the amount (in Rs.) collected from such companies as penalties since 2014, year-wise?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS.

(SHRI. HARSH MALHOTRA)

- (a) The details of the number of directors on the boards of Government owned companies, gender-wise and year-wise is at Annexure.
- (b) & (c) As per second proviso to sub-section (1) of section 149 of the Companies  Act,  2013  prescribed  class  of  companies  shall  have  at least one woman director. As per Rule 3 of Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules, 2014, every listed company and every other public company having paid up share capital of Rs. 100

crore or more or having a turnover of Rs. 300 crore or more is required to appoint at least one woman director on its board.

Out  of  708  Government  owned  companies  including  Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) which are required to appoint at least one woman director on their  boards,  529  companies  have  appointed  at least one woman director and 179 companies have not appointed at least one woman director.  The non compliance of minimum threshold limit  of  appointment  of  woman  director  are  company  specific  and other administrative reasons.

- (d)  Separate  data  in  respect  of  penalties  collected  from  Government owned companies is not maintained centrally.

Annexure

In reply to the Unstarred Question No. 4975 to be answered before Lok Sabha on March 23, 2026:

| Sl. No   | Financial                | Number of directors on the boards of Government owned companies   | Number of directors on the boards of Government owned companies   |       |
|----------|--------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------|
|          | Year                     | Female                                                            | Male                                                              | Total |
| 1        | 2013-14                  | 4                                                                 | 86                                                                | 90    |
| 2        | 2014-15                  | 11                                                                | 149                                                               | 160   |
| 3        | 2015-16                  | 27                                                                | 174                                                               | 201   |
| 4        | 2016-17                  | 42                                                                | 316                                                               | 358   |
| 5        | 2017-18                  | 53                                                                | 328                                                               | 381   |
| 6        | 2018-19                  | 76                                                                | 457                                                               | 533   |
| 7        | 2019-20                  | 59                                                                | 374                                                               | 433   |
| 8        | 2020-21                  | 81                                                                | 424                                                               | 505   |
| 9        | 2021-22                  | 97                                                                | 699                                                               | 796   |
| 10       | 2022-23                  | 163                                                               | 933                                                               | 1096  |
| 11       | 2023-24                  | 266                                                               | 1721                                                              | 1987  |
| 12       | 2024-25                  | 476                                                               | 2311                                                              | 2787  |
| 13       | 2025-26 (till 13/3/2026) | 668                                                               | 3423                                                              | 4091  |

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