Cleantech Hiring Surges In India; Delhi-NCR Accounts For 44% Jobs: Report

India’s cleantech industry has transitioned into one of the fastest-scaling talent markets, with hiring soaring 56.6% over the past two years, according to a recent report by CIEL HR, an end-to-end HR solutions provider.

Even as the pace normalises in the short term, growth remains structurally strong, with headcount up 13.4% year-on-year (YoY), marking a pivot from aggressive, capital-led expansion to disciplined, execution-focused workforce scaling.

The CIEL HR report attributes the cleantech sector's hiring boom to strong dominance in Delhi/NCR, which accounts for 44% of total job openings. Based on workforce data from 55 cleantech companies and national job portal trends, the study finds that demand consistently outstrips supply across entry-, mid-, and senior-level roles.

The study further reveals a compelling geographic shift, with Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities emerging as the second-largest hiring hubs, accounting for 30% of openings, followed by Mumbai (9%), Bengaluru (6%), Pune (5%), and other metros (6%).

Why the RE and Storage Workforce Lags Behind

Despite India producing over one million engineering graduates annually, the talent pipeline remains inadequately aligned with the advanced capabilities required in renewable energy systems, storage technologies, and grid integration.

The findings further reveal a stark gender imbalance, with women accounting for just 11% of the workforce and 15% of leadership roles, highlighting a systemic inclusion gap in a sector that is expected to anchor India’s long-term energy and industrial transition.

The report is grounded in quantitative analysis of the workforce across 55 cleantech sector companies in India. Job trends were analysed based on positions posted on job portals, while the study also references company annual reports and websites.

Cleantech Talent Crunch Driving Salary Inflation

The CIEL HR report also highlights rising talent scarcity, which is driving compensation inflation across the sector, with 48% of positions offering annual salaries of ₹10 lakh and above, compared to 40% in the IT sector.

The report associates this premium with strong demand for specialised and cross-functional capabilities across the cleantech value chain. Engineering and project execution roles such as design engineers, process engineers, and mechatronics engineers remain central to hiring, while digital and data expertise, including data analysts, AI-driven performance specialists, and enterprise architects, is rising steadily.

At the same time, regulatory, sustainability, enterprise, and stakeholder management skills are gaining prominence as companies scale projects across regions.

The study also highlights the fast-evolving nature of the cleantech workforce, with a median employee tenure of just 2.7 years. Professionals are often hired for specific growth phases such as project execution, product development, or commercialisation, and high demand across the ecosystem encourages frequent role mobility.

Upskilling & Early Career Programs Key to Bridging Cleantech Talent Gap

Leading companies are addressing this through structured early career programs, targeted upskilling, succession planning, and focused diversity initiatives, aiming to retain top talent and build leadership continuity.

As the sector transitions from rapid growth to scale, developing stable, future-ready talent pipelines will be central to sustaining India’s clean energy ambitions and ensuring long-term competitiveness.

Commenting on the study, Aditya Mishra, Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CIEL HR, said, “While growth is unprecedented, talent scarcity, skill gaps and underrepresentation of women in both workforce and leadership roles are emerging as key constraints. To realise the sector’s potential, organisations must adopt a strategic talent agenda, invest in advanced skills, build robust leadership pipelines, foster inclusive workplaces and design career pathways that retain top talent.”