Maruti Suzuki targets 30% female admissions at Manesar training institute by FY29

Maruti Suzuki’s Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing in Manesar will waive tuition fees for female students and aims to lift women’s share of admissions from about 9% to 30% by 2028-29.

— Source publishedMon, 28 Sept, 2026, 07:57 IST·First seen Mon, 28 Sept, 2026, 08:07 IST·Source Indian Express · Business

The development

Maruti Suzuki targets a 30% female share of admissions by 2028-29 at JIM Manesar, where women account for around 9% of an annual intake of about 400 students. The institute is offering a 100% tuition fee waiver for female students from this academic year.

The numbers

  • 9%
  • 400
  • 30%
  • 2028-29
  • 100%

Why it matters to operators and investors

Maruti Suzuki’s full-fee waiver and 30% female-admission target signal a deliberate effort to widen its technical-talent pipeline and improve workforce diversity at a key manufacturing training hub.

What to watch next

  • Female application-to-admission ratio, course completion rate, and first-year placement retention.
  • Whether Maruti publishes women hiring, apprenticeship, and shop-floor representation targets beyond institute admissions.
  • Investments in hostels, transport, creches, shift design, and plant safety systems around Manesar.
  • Supplier participation in women-focused technical training or diversity-linked procurement requirements.
  • Evidence that female trainees move into maintenance, production, quality, and supervisory roles rather than being concentrated in administrative functions.

The counter-case

The 30% target may be easier to announce than achieve if the institute faces a limited local pool of women applicants for manufacturing trades, family mobility constraints, safety concerns, or stronger competing education options. A tuition waiver lowers one barrier but may not address transport, accommodation, placement conditions, shop-floor culture, retention, or career progression. The impact could also be small if the institute has limited annual intake or if admissions rise without corresponding completion and employment outcomes.