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To achieve equitable economic growth and to broaden Our estimates using the annual PLFS survey show that the
consumption demand, adequate job opportunities for those overall employment in India increased by a healthy 153.4 million Net addition to employment (million) Female Labor Force Metrics for 15 years
who choose to work is critical. It is also important for meeting in the seven-year period between 2017-18 and 2023-24, between 2017-18 to 2023-24 and above (2017-18 vs. 2023-24)
the aspirations of India’s youth and for inclusive development. translating into employed people to working age population ratio
rising from 35 per cent to 44 per cent in the comparable period. 160.0 153.4 2017-18 2023-24
India with a population of 1.45 billion has overtaken China as 140.0
the most populous nation as per the latest data from the UN The above-mentioned gain in employment is attributable to an 112.8 Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) 23.3% 41.7%
Population Statistics database. Our analysis shows that India increase of 40.6 million in jobs and 112.8 million in the 120.0 Workforce Participation Rate (WPR) 22.0% 40.3%
will add another 133 million people to the working age group self-employed category over the seven-year period. Hence, 100.0 Unemployment Rate (UR) 5.6% 3.2%
of 15-64 years between 2025-50 as compared to reduction of essentially, the rise in employment numbers was mainly led by 80.0
242 million in China. A whopping 18 per cent of the a sharp rise in the self-employed category, with net jobs Source: PLFS report 2017-18 & 2023-24
incremental global workforce over the next two and a half contributing only 26.5 per cent of the total pie. 60.0 40.6
decades will come from India. 40.0
20.0 THE SIGNIFICANT RISE IN THE FEMALE
However, it is prudent to note here that a rise in India’s 0.0 LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE (LFPR)
working-age population is necessary but not sufficient for it to UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS MODERATED Jobs Self Total SINCE 2017-18 IS PROMISING, AS IT
sustain its economic growth. If India does not create enough SHARPLY TO 3.2 PER CENT IN FY24 FROM employed PROVIDES A STRONG BOOST TO WOMEN-LED
jobs and its workers are not adequately prepared for those 6.0 PER CENT IN FY18, TRANSLATING INTO DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTRY
jobs, its demographic dividend may turn into a liability. UNEMPLOYED POPULATION FALLING TO
16.9 MILLION FROM 23.6 MILLION IN THE Breakup of Jobs Creation
In India, the employment data gives information only on the COMPARABLE PERIOD The Government of India has launched several initiatives to
net addition to employment which is defined as the difference promote women empowerment and gender equality. Programs
between employment (self-employed + jobs) added and lost like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Stand-Up India,
over a specified period. It does not provide data on new job The rise in jobs ties in with the decline in the unemployed 19.2 and MUDRA Yojana have been pivotal in enhancing women's
hiring and jobs losses separately and the same is true for labour force in the economy during the seven-year period. The 21.4 employment. The National Rural Livelihoods Mission has
self-employed as well. The estimates for job creation unemployment rate moderated from 6.0 per cent to 3.2 per connected around 9 crore women with self-help groups, boosting
presented here, thus, reflect the net impact of new job hiring cent in the comparable period, translating into unemployed self-employment. These schemes' holistic approach encompasses
minus jobs lost. population declining to 16.9 million in 2023-24 from 23.6 training programs, providing accessible loans, thereby promoting
million in 2017-18. education, skill development, and financial inclusion among the
Casual Labour Wage/ Salaried women. Consequently, there has been an increase in female
The sharp rise in self-employment category is attributed to an
The overall employment increase in self-employment in agriculture to the tune of 78.5 Source: Various rounds of PLFS and CII Research labour force participation rates, as evidenced by the data.
numbers million in the seven-year period, translating into a share of Female participation in However, there is a greater scope to further boost female labour
more than 70 per cent to the overall increase in self-employed
force participation and employment outcomes. Increasing the
workers.
labour force participation rate of women can help capitalise on
Employment = jobs (salaried plus With regard to pattern of job creation, it is noteworthy to labour force the untapped economic potential of a very large section of the
population, and be a force multiplier for the socio-economic
casual) + self-employment mention the trend shifted in favour of wage/salaried jobs as development of the country.
opposed to a pre-dominance of casual jobs in the years before.
Nearly 52.7 per cent (21.4 million) of the increase of 40.6 Women-led development is a cornerstone to India's progress. An examination of the relationship between female labour force
FY18-FY24: Net addition to employment = 153.4 million million in addition to jobs came from wage/salaried jobs. This The Central Government has adopted a comprehensive participation rates (LFPR) and education levels provides both
mirrors the rise in formalization in the economy. Casual jobs approach to empower and support Indian women across concerning and encouraging insights. The data shows that as the
FY18-FY24: Net addition to jobs = 40.6 million which had been increasing in a secular trend since 2017-18 various sectors—from agriculture to technology, and from level of education increases, the LFPR tends to moderate. While
FY18-FY24: Net addition to self-employment = 113.0 million witnessed a sequential contraction for the first time in self-employment to high-end jobs. Since 2017-18, there has 50.4 per cent of non-literate women are part of the labour force,
been a notable increase in the female Labour Force
2023-24 as the casual jobs shrunk by 5.4 million. this percentage drops sharply to 17.9 per cent for women with
Participation Rate (LFPR) and female Workforce Participation
Rate (WPR), underscoring the progress towards a Viksit Bharat. secondary education and 25.0 per cent for women with higher
Employment Trends secondary education. However, there is a positive trend among
Over the past seven years, the female labour force women with education beyond the secondary level. The LFPR for
(in million) Self - Employed (A) Casual Labour (B) Wage/ Salaried (C ) Total jobs (B+C) Employment [A+(B+C)] participation rate (LFPR) for those aged 15 and above has women with a graduation degree stands at 38.4 per cent, and for
surged from 23.3 per cent in 2017-18 to 41.7 per cent in those with postgraduate degrees and beyond, it rises to an
2017-18 194.5 85.0 92.8 177.8 372.3 impressive 51.1 per cent.
2023-24. This significant rise is primarily driven by rural areas,
2018-19 198.3 91.7 90.6 182.3 380.5 where the female LFPR increased from 24.6 per cent to 47.6
2019-20 228.5 100.8 97.8 198.6 427.0 per cent. Urban female LFPR also saw an increase, albeit at a Women with lower education levels often join the casual labour
force out of necessity, while those with higher education enter the
2020-21 243.0 101.8 92.2 194.1 437.1 relatively moderate pace. Additionally, the workforce
participation rate (WPR) nearly doubled from 22.0 per cent to labour force out of choice to secure formal jobs, resulting in
2021-22 255.9 104.1 98.6 202.7 458.6 40.3 per cent, while unemployment fell from 5.6 per cent to higher LFPR at both low and high ends of educational attainment.
2022-23 288.1 109.6 105.1 214.7 502.7 3.2 per cent during the same period. These trends indicate a This trend highlights the importance of investing in higher
2023-24 307.3 104.2 114.2 218.4 525.8 growing willingness among women to work, search for, and education for women for unlocking the full potential of the female
secure employment opportunities, along with an increase in workforce. By fostering educational attainment, society can ensure
Source: Various rounds of PLFS and CII Research employment opportunities. that more women not only join the workforce but also excel in
roles that maximize their skills and capabilities.

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APRIL 2025
APRIL 2025