Assam: Tezpur University hosts panel discussion on gender pay gap

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TEZPUR: The Department of Law, Tezpur University, organized 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 Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre, Tezpur University.

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 is higher, speakers noted that India’s figures often appeared lower due to statistical measurements such as the median wage, which may not fully reflect workplace realities. The panel emphasized that the private sector was often seen as the preferred employment space, yet salary structures and commissions remained 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 unorganized 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.

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