Women in India complete GenAI courses at rates 3 Percent higher than men: Coursera Report

New Delhi, Mar 9: Coursera, Inc., a leading global online learning platform, released its latest report, “One Year Later: The Gender Gap in GenAI,” revealing that women in India are completing GenAI courses at 3% higher rates than men, even as they remain underrepresented in GenAI learning. The findings highlight strong persistence among women learners once they gain access to high-quality learning opportunities.

The report also finds that women accounted for 33.5% of GenAI course enrollments in India in 2025, up from 31.2% in 2024, a 2.2 percentage-point increase YoY. While the gender gap persists, the higher completion rates suggest that access – rather than capability or motivation – may be the primary barrier, reinforcing the need to lower entry barriers and expand access to AI learning pathways.

As part of ‘Vision 2047’, the Government of India has set an ambitious target of building a $30 trillion economy by 2047, with nearly 45% of this growth ($14 trillion) expected to come from women’s economic participation. Equipping women with future-ready capabilities such as artificial intelligence will be critical to unlocking this potential.

Course design linked to stronger participation

Beginner-friendly GenAI courses that emphasise real-world application tend to attract stronger female participation globally. For example, the course on Generative AI Content Creation by Adobe — has achieved 48.2% female enrollment in India.

Across the platform, application-driven GenAI courses in areas such as education, productivity tools, and workplace integration have seen female participation approach parity in some cases. These courses present GenAI as a practical tool for productivity and problem-solving rather than abstract technical theory, often linking AI tools to goals learners care about, such as improving teaching, writing, or creative work. The findings suggest that when AI skills are framed as practical, accessible, and directly tied to career relevance, participation broadens.

“The future of AI will be shaped by the diversity of the people building and using it,” said Prashasti Rastogi, Director, Coursera for Campus and Government, India. “Our data shows that when women in India gain access to GenAI learning opportunities, they demonstrate strong persistence and commitment to mastering these skills. India has an enormous pool of motivated and resilient women and expanding access to AI education will be key to unlocking the full strength of the country’s talent.”

Beyond GenAI, there is also a strong momentum among female learners to upskill in human skills such as Critical Thinking. In 2025, women learners in India accounted for 40% of critical thinking enrollments, up from 34% in 2024. This trend underscores that women are actively building both technical and human skillsets needed for long-term professional growth and success in an AI-driven workplace.

Implications for India’s digital workforce

As India advances its ambitions in digital and AI transformation, expanding equitable access to AI education will be critical to building a diverse and future-ready workforce. The report outlines several approaches that can support more inclusive participation, including:

• Designing beginner-level courses with clear real-world applications
• Ensuring visible representation and inclusive pedagogy
• Expanding access through localisation and partnerships
• Pairing GenAI skills with complementary human capabilities, such as Critical Thinking

One year after Coursera’s initial “Closing the Gender Gap in GenAI Skills” playbook, the latest data shows encouraging progress – but also a clear opportunity to accelerate change. India’s rise in women participation, combined with stronger completion rates among, signals growing momentum. As AI continues reshaping industries and careers, expanding access to AI learning opportunities will be key to ensuring women are not just participants in the AI revolution, but leaders helping shape its future.

10 courses in India by share of female enrollment