The Department of Law, Tezpur University, organised a panel discussion on “Gender Pay Gap in India: Challenges, Realities and the Way Forward” on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2026 at the MMTTC, Tezpur University.
The programme was graced by Prof. Ashim Jyoti Thakur, Dean, Academic Affairs, Tezpur University, as the Chief Guest. Prof. Chandan Kr. Sarma, Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Prof. Manabendra Mandal, Dean, Students’ Welfare, attended the event as the Guests of Honour.
The panel featured Debasmita Ghosh, Coordinator, Human Rights Law Network, Guwahati Chapter and Advocate, Gauhati High Court; Saheb Chowdhury, Assistant Professor of Law, National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam; Abhrajyoti Sarmah, Labour Inspector, Department of Labour Welfare, Assam; and Hemjyoti Medhi, Associate Professor, Department of English and Head, Department of Foreign Languages, Tezpur University, as panellists. The session was moderated by Gitanjali Ghosh, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Law, Tezpur University.
The discussion highlighted several dimensions of the gender pay gap. While some global comparisons suggest that the pay gap in countries such as Canada are higher, speakers noted that India’s figures often appear lower due to statistical measurements such as the median wage, which may not fully reflect workplace realities. The panel emphasised that the private sector is often seen as the preferred employment space, yet salary structures and commissions remain opaque, sometimes leading to unequal remuneration for similar work.
Speakers also stressed the historical importance of women’s movements in challenging workplace discrimination and noted that the struggle for equality must continue. Concerns were raised regarding wage disparities in the unorganised sector, where regulation and monitoring remain weak. Examples from professions such as nursing and hospital support staff were discussed to illustrate unequal valuation of work.
Panellists further pointed to the social dimensions of the issue, including the expectation that women bear the primary responsibility for family care. Concepts such as “caregiver guilt” and the “caregiver penalty” were discussed as factors that affect women’s career progression. The discussion also touched upon legal aspects, including judicial pronouncements on equal pay and the distinction between “same nature of work” and “similar nature of work.”
The speakers concluded that bridging the gender pay gap requires not only stronger legal frameworks and transparency in wages but also a transformation in social attitudes beginning at home.
