Women Entrepreneurship in the Post-COVID Era: Evaluating the Government's Role in Economic Recovery in India

Abstract

This research explores the evolving landscape of women entrepreneurship in India during the post-COVID recovery phase, with particular emphasis on government interventions and support systems. The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted economic activities worldwide, with women entrepreneurs facing disproportionate challenges due to pre-existing gender disparities and sectoral concentrations. This study employs a mixed-method approach, analyzing both primary survey data from 250 women entrepreneurs across five major Indian states and secondary data from government databases and economic indicators. The research identifies critical gaps in current policy frameworks, including inadequate digital infrastructure support, limited gender-responsive financing mechanisms, and insufficient integration of women-led businesses in emerging economic sectors. Results reveal that while government initiatives have provided crucial relief through targeted schemes, significant disparities persist in accessing capital, technology adoption, and market linkages. A novel feature selection technique was applied to reduce the dimensionality of collected datasets, enabling more precise identification of key intervention areas. The findings suggest that comprehensive policy reforms focusing on gender-responsive digital transformation, sector-specific upskilling, and restructured financial inclusion mechanisms could substantially enhance the resilience and growth potential of women-led enterprises. This research contributes to the existing literature by providing an analytical framework for evaluating gender-responsive economic recovery policies and identifying actionable pathways for strengthening women's entrepreneurial ecosystem in India.