Maruti Suzuki India plans to raise the share of female students at its Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM) in Manesar to 30% by Academic Year 2028-29, as the automaker looks to build a larger pipeline of women trained for jobs in India's manufacturing sector.

Female students currently account for 9% of intake at the JIM Uncha Majra, Manesar institute. The company has introduced a fee waiver for female students from the current academic year and plans to set up a dedicated hostel as part of efforts to make the institute more accessible to women.

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“To increase female enrolment, we are adopting a holistic approach that focuses on creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment. This includes providing a dedicated women's hostel and increasing women's representation across faculty and support functions,” Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer, corporate affairs, Maruti Suzuki India, said.

The Manesar institute is also inducting female students based on regional employment opportunities, with the aim of strengthening the supply of trained women for manufacturing jobs. It offers courses across nine trades, primarily focused on the automotive sector.

The Japan-India Institutes for Manufacturing are a joint initiative of the governments of India and Japan to develop a skilled workforce for the country's manufacturing industry.

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Maruti Suzuki has established four JIMs in India, located in Mehsana and Gandhinagar in Gujarat, and Uncha Majra at Manesar and Sonipat in Haryana.

The company's push to raise female enrolment comes as manufacturing companies seek to expand women's participation in an industry that has traditionally had a lower representation of women in shop-floor and technical roles.