In a big win for Bengaluru, the city has once again come out on top as the best place in India for women to live and work. This comes from a new study released in 2026 looking back at 2025. The report is called Top Cities for Women in India, or TCWI for short. It’s put out by Avtar Group, a company that helps make workplaces better for everyone, especially women. They looked at 125 cities across the country and gave each one a score based on how well they support women in daily life and at work.
Bengaluru got the highest score of 53.29 out of all. That’s not just a number; it means the city is doing a lot right when it comes to safety, jobs, education, and more. Other big cities like Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Mumbai are close behind, but Bengaluru stays number one for the fourth year in a row. This news is important because in India, many women face challenges in cities, like feeling safe on the streets or finding good jobs. Studies like this show which places are making progress and where others can learn.
The report comes at a time when more women are joining the workforce. In cities, women want places where they can build careers without too many hurdles. Bengaluru, often called India’s tech capital, has lots of IT companies that hire women and offer flexible work. But it’s not just about jobs. The study also checks things like health services, schools, and how easy it is to get around the city safely. For many families, choosing where to live depends on these factors, especially if there are daughters or working mothers.
About the Avtar TCWI Study
The Top Cities for Women in India study started a few years ago. This is the fourth time they’ve done it. Each year, they look at more cities. In 2022, it was 111 cities. Then 113 in 2023, 120 in 2024, and now 125 in 2025. Avtar Group is based in Chennai and focuses on making sure women have equal chances at work. They use data from government reports, their own research, and surveys to rank the cities.
The main goal is to see how cities help women participate in society and the economy. It’s not just about big metros; smaller cities are included too. This helps show that good changes can happen anywhere, not just in places like Delhi or Mumbai. The study acts like a guide for governments and companies. It tells them what to fix to make cities better for women. For example, if a city scores low on safety, leaders know they need more street lights or police patrols.
In this year’s report, they combined rankings for big and small cities into one list. That’s different from before, where they had separate lists. This makes it easier to compare. The report also talks about how cities can become role models. When a city does well, others can copy their ideas, like starting programs for women’s skill training or better public transport.
How They Ranked the Cities: The Methodology
To rank the cities, Avtar uses something called the City Inclusion Score, or CIS. This score comes from two main parts: Social Inclusion Score (SIS) and Industrial Inclusion Score (IIS).
The Social Inclusion Score looks at everyday life. It checks four things: how livable the city is, safety for women, how many women are in jobs, and programs that empower women. Livability means things like clean air, good roads, and parks. Safety includes low crime rates against women, well-lit streets, and helplines. Women’s representation in employment means how many women have jobs compared to men. Empowerment covers education, health care, and government schemes for women.
The Industrial Inclusion Score focuses on work. It has three parts: how many companies in the city are friendly to women, how inclusive the main industries are, and what helps women in their careers. For example, in Bengaluru, many tech firms have policies like maternity leave or creches at work. This score checks if cities have jobs that suit women and if companies train them for better roles.
They gather data from official sources like census reports, crime statistics, and company surveys. Then, they calculate the scores. Only the top five cities got what they call a “pass mark” in CIS, meaning above 50 or so. This shows most cities still have work to do. The southern region of India has the highest average scores, at 21.60 for CIS. Western India is next at 20.00. Central and eastern parts lag behind, especially in jobs for women.
This method is fair because it looks at both life outside work and at work. It helps paint a full picture. For instance, a city might have great jobs but poor safety, so its score drops.
The Top Rankings: Who Made the List?
Here are the top 25 cities from the 2025 study. Bengaluru leads with 53.29, followed closely by others.
- Bengaluru, Karnataka (53.29)
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu (49.86)
- Pune, Maharashtra (46.27)
- Hyderabad, Telangana (46.04)
- Mumbai, Maharashtra (44.49)
- Gurugram, Haryana
- Kolkata, West Bengal
- Ahmedabad, Gujarat
- Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
- Delhi, Delhi
- Kochi, Kerala
- Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
- Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
- Madurai, Tamil Nadu
- Jaipur, Rajasthan
- Nagpur, Maharashtra
- Salem, Tamil Nadu
- Vellore, Tamil Nadu
- Jodhpur, Rajasthan
- Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir
- Indore, Madhya Pradesh
- Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
- Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
- Erode, Tamil Nadu
You can see southern cities dominate. Tamil Nadu has seven in the top 25, like Chennai and Coimbatore. This shows states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are doing well in supporting women.
Delhi slipped to 11th this year, down from higher spots before. It does well in jobs but not in safety and affordability. Gurugram jumped to 6th from 9th last year, thanks to more companies moving there.
Why Bengaluru Tops the List Again
Bengaluru has held the top spot for years now. Why? It’s strong in industrial inclusion. The city has thousands of tech companies like Infosys and Wipro. These firms hire many women and have rules to help them, like flexible hours or anti-harassment policies. In 2025, Bengaluru’s IIS was the highest, showing it has the most women-friendly workplaces.
But it’s not just jobs. The city scores well in social areas too, though Chennai beats it there. Bengaluru has good schools and colleges for girls. Health care is decent, with hospitals focusing on women’s issues. Safety has improved with more CCTV and women police stations. The metro and buses make getting around easier, which is big for working women.
People call it Silicon Valley of India for a reason. It attracts talent from all over. Women from small towns come here for IT jobs. The startup scene is booming, and many women lead startups. Plus, the weather is nice, and there are parks and malls for family time. All this makes it a place where women can balance work and home.
One expert said Bengaluru’s edge comes from its mix of social support and job growth. It’s not perfect—traffic is bad, and rents are high—but compared to others, it’s ahead.
How Other Cities Compare
Chennai comes second because it’s the best in social inclusion. The city has strong safety measures, like quick response teams for women’s complaints. Public services are good, with affordable health and education. Mobility is easy with trains and buses. But it lags a bit in high-tech jobs compared to Bengaluru.
Pune, third, is balanced. It has auto and IT industries that hire women. Safety is okay, and education is top-notch with universities like Pune University. Hyderabad, fourth, is similar, with pharma and tech sectors. Mumbai, fifth, has finance and Bollywood, but high costs and crowds pull its score down.
Northern cities like Gurugram do well in jobs but not safety. Delhi has great opportunities but high crime rates against women. Smaller cities like Thiruvananthapuram shine in social areas, with clean streets and good health, but fewer big companies.
The study shows south and west India lead. Central areas like Indore are improving but slow in industry. East, like Kolkata, has culture but needs more modern jobs.
Trends and Changes Over the Years
Looking back, the study shows progress. More Tier-2 cities are rising, like Coimbatore and Madurai. This means good practices are spreading beyond big metros. Women-friendly ecosystems are decentralizing.
From 2022 to 2025, southern cities stayed strong. But northern ones like Gurugram improved with new business parks. The gap between social and industrial scores is closing in top cities, leading to higher overall ranks.
A big trend is companies taking responsibility. Many now have diversity programs, hiring more women. Governments are helping with schemes like skill training. But only top five passed the CIS mark, so others need to catch up.
The report notes environmental factors too, like clean air, which affects livability. Digital readiness is key, with online jobs growing.
The Impact on Women and Society
This ranking matters because it affects women’s lives. In India, women’s workforce participation is low, around 25-30%. Good cities can raise that. When women work, families do better, and the economy grows.
For women, a top city means safer streets, better pay, and growth chances. It reduces dropouts after marriage or kids. For society, it means less inequality. Kids see moms working and aim higher.
Policymakers use this to plan. For example, if a city scores low on safety, they add more lights or apps for reporting issues. Companies learn to make workplaces better.
In 2025, with India aiming for big growth, women are key. Studies like this push for change.
What Experts Are Saying
Dr. Saundarya Rajesh, Managing Director of Avtar Group, shared her thoughts. She said, “As we mark Avtar’s 25th year, the fourth edition of the ‘Top Cities for Women in India’ reflects both how far we have come and how much more we must do. Over the years, the TCWI study has evolved into a tool of accountability that asks a simple question: Can a woman truly thrive in this city? It measures the real ease of career and life for women, whether cities enable women to enter the workforce, stay, grow, and lead.”
She added, “Creating such cities requires shared responsibility. Governments, organizations, institutions, communities, and women themselves must work together to build environments that are safe, accessible, affordable, and supportive. In today’s context, cities must also take a broader view of inclusion, one that considers environmental resilience, supportive infrastructure, digital readiness, intergenerational equity, and respect for diverse perspectives. When these elements come together, women thrive, thereby strengthening local economies and moving India closer to its long-term development goals.”
Another statement from the report: “For women, a city must do more than offer employment. It must enable participation, safe and reliable mobility, access to quality jobs and career progression, dependable caregiving support, and an overall quality of life that allows professional and personal responsibilities to coexist.”
FAQs
1. What is the Top Cities for Women in India study?
The TCWI study by Avtar Group ranks Indian cities based on how well they support women. It looks at safety, jobs, education, health, and more. In 2025, it covered 125 cities and used scores like CIS to rank them. It’s done every year to highlight good examples and areas needing improvement. This helps women choose where to live or work and pushes cities to get better.
2. Why did Bengaluru rank first in 2025?
Bengaluru got the top spot with a score of 53.29 because of its strong job market, especially in tech. Companies there have good policies for women, like flexible work and training. The city also does well in education and health. Though not the best in safety (Chennai is), its overall balance makes it number one. It’s been top for four years, showing consistent effort.
3. How does the study calculate the scores?
They use two main scores: Social Inclusion (safety, livability, empowerment) and Industrial Inclusion (inclusive companies, career help). Data comes from government stats and surveys. Each city gets a combined CIS. Southern cities average higher because of better services and jobs.
4. Which cities improved or fell in the 2025 ranking?
Gurugram jumped to 6th from 9th due to more businesses. Delhi fell to 11th because of safety issues. Smaller cities like Tiruchirappalli and Madurai entered the top 25, showing Tier-2 growth. Overall, south India leads, with Tamil Nadu having many entries.
5. What can other cities learn from the top ones?
Cities can copy safety measures like better lighting and helplines from Chennai. From Bengaluru, learn to attract inclusive companies and offer skill programs. Governments should focus on both social and job sides. The study says shared effort—from leaders to communities—is key to making cities better for women.
6. How does this affect women’s workforce participation?
Good rankings mean more women can join and stay in jobs. In top cities, women have better chances for careers, leading to higher family incomes and national growth. Low-scoring cities might see women drop out due to safety or lack of support. The study pushes for changes to raise India’s women workforce rate.