As per a survey conducted across the country among students, the participation at work for men in India was expected to be ** percent in 2024, a decrease from the participation rate in 2023. A fluctuating trend emerged in the participation rate of this segment of India's workforce since 2016. Meanwhile, the participation at work for women in the organized sector increased from ** percent in 2023 to ** percent in 2024 but still a wide gender gap persists.

The share of employable women in India in 2025 saw a decrease from the previous year. Men accounted for about ** percent of employability that year. In fact, a larger share of women than men have constituted India’s employable talent since 2020 until a drop in 2025. Employability refers to a person's ability to gain and maintain employment. India’s professional talent pool Indian corporations and employers found a rich supply of highly employable graduates in states such as Maharashtra and Delhi. The demand for professionals with a year or more of working experience outweighed that of graduates without experience, thus, driving up the preference for internships. Some of the most employable candidates in 2024 were graduates with degrees in engineering, business administration and computer applications. Employability does not translate to employment However, higher employability did not translate to employment as was indicated by the country’s youth unemployment rate. Gender gap in participation at work has also persisted over the years. In addition to skill training, more jobs need to be created to absorb the growing unemployed and underemployed youth.

Actual value and historical data chart for India Ratio Of Female To Male Labor Force Participation Rate Percent National Estimate

India Labour Force Participation Rate: Urban: Female data was reported at 15.900 % in 2018. India Labour Force Participation Rate: Urban: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 15.900 % from Jun 2018 (Median) to 2018, with 1 observations. India Labour Force Participation Rate: Urban: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Central Statistics Office. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.GBA004: Periodic Labour Force Survey: Annual: Labour Force Participation Rate: Usual Status.

In a survey conducted between July 2023 and June 2024, the rate of labor participation for the urban male population was over ** percent compared to the over ** percent rate among females. The rate of labor participation in rural areas was lower across genders.

Actual value and historical data chart for India Labor Force Female Percent Of Total Labor Force

Differences in relative female employment by soil texture are used to explain the heterogeneous deficit of female children across districts within India. Soil texture varies exogenously and determines the depth of land tillage. Deep tillage, possible in loamy but not in clayey soil textures, reduces the demand for labor in agricultural tasks traditionally performed by women. Girls have a lower economic value where female labor opportunities are fewer. Consistently, higher relative female employment in agriculture improves the ratio of female to male children in districts that have a smaller fraction of loamy relative to clayey soils.

India Part Time Employment: Female: % of Total Female Employment data was reported at 45.940 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 40.690 % for 2022. India Part Time Employment: Female: % of Total Female Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 34.060 % from Dec 2018 (Median) to 2023, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 45.940 % in 2023 and a record low of 28.100 % in 2019. India Part Time Employment: Female: % of Total Female Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Part time employment refers to regular employment in which working time is substantially less than normal. Definitions of part time employment differ by country.;International Labour Organization. “Wages and Working Time Statistics database (COND)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;Relevance to gender indicator: More and more women are working part-time and one of the concern is that part time work does not provide the stability that full time work does.

Actual value and historical data chart for India Labor Participation Rate Female Percent Of Female Population Ages 15 Plus

The Indian female labor force in general was in a state of steady growth during the presented timeframe. The dominant category is women between the age of 25 to 54, which has increased to 86.18 million in 2021. All categories saw visible increases. The labor force includes persons of working age who are actively engaged in the labor market. It is the sum of persons employed and the unemployed.

Yearly (annual) dataset of the India Female Labor Force Rate, including historical data, latest releases, and long-term trends from 1990-12-31 to 2024-12-31. Available for free download in CSV format.

Actual value and historical data chart for India Employees Industry Female Percent Of Female Employment

It is widely believed that female employment and empowerment are intimately related. This paper presents relationships between women’s employment and various measures of their empowerment, using data from rural India. The measures capture several dimensions of empowerment, including control in economic decision-making, psychosocial aspects of empowerment, and women’s own internalization of a lesser status. A number of these measures correlate positively with women’s employment, supporting the notion that female employment and empowerment are closely linked.

India IN: Share of Female Employment in Senior and Middle Management data was reported at 12.890 % in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 12.230 % for 2010. India IN: Share of Female Employment in Senior and Middle Management data is updated yearly, averaging 13.420 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2012, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.220 % in 2005 and a record low of 12.230 % in 2010. India IN: Share of Female Employment in Senior and Middle Management data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. The proportion of females in total employment in senior and middle management. It corresponds to major group 1 in both ISCO-08 and ISCO-88 minus category 14 in ISCO-08 (hospitality, retail and other services managers) and minus category 13 in ISCO-88 (general managers), since these comprise mainly managers of small enterprises.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2018.; ;

This dataset provides the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) percentage according to the usual principal status (ps) for each State and Union Territory in India. The data is sourced from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation since 2020-21. It offers insights into the proportion of people in the labor force across different states and UTs across all age groups. Note: For 2023-24, Chandigarh's entire area has been considered as urban for this survey.

Actual value and historical data chart for India Labor Force Participation Rate For Ages 15 24 Female Percent Modeled Ilo Estimate

Vulnerable employment, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in India was reported at 79.57 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Vulnerable employment, female (% of female employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

The dataset contains All India Employment Situation in India - Per 1000 Distribution of Usually Employed by Broad Groups of Industry for Various Rounds from Handbook of Statistics on Indian Economy.

Primary sector : Agriculture and allied activities Secondary sector : Mining, manufacture, electricity, gas,water, etc. and construction Tertiary sector : Trade, hotel and restuarant, Transport,storage and communication and Other services Note: 1. Data on NSS rounds 38, 43, 50, 55, 61, 66 and 68 relates to quinquennial rounds. 2: Data for July 2017-June 2018, pertain to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), that accounts labour force estimates for both status (ps and ss).

The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region shows wide variation in estimated female labor force participation rates (LFPR) among women aged between 15 and 64 years for 2024. North Korea had the highest estimated LFPR in APAC, at about ** percent. Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Singapore had some of the highest female LFPR in the region, while South Asian countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, and India had some of the lowest shares of women in the labor force. This stark contrast highlights the diverse economic and social landscapes across the region, reflecting varying levels of gender equality and women's empowerment. More opportunities for women? With growing emphasis on gender equality, women across the Asia-Pacific region have gained greater access to education and professional opportunities. Notably, in 2022, many countries across the region had a higher female to male ratio in tertiary education. However, gender inequality in access to opportunities persists, as the proportion of young women not in education, employment, or training (NEET) is significantly higher than the overall youth NEET rate across APAC countries. This disparity is especially pronounced in South Asia, where deep-rooted cultural, social, and economic barriers continue to limit women’s full participation in the workforce. Women in positions of power Despite efforts to advance gender equality, women are still underrepresented in decision-making positions in many governments across the Asia-Pacific region. As such, there was a much lower female representation in ministerial level positions in most APAC countries, compared to that of men. However, New Zealand and Australia stand out for exhibiting a more balanced gender representation in political leadership.

India Labour Force Participation Rate: Female: Aggregate Bands: Total Age data was reported at 34.389 % in 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 35.084 % for 2023. India Labour Force Participation Rate: Female: Aggregate Bands: Total Age data is updated yearly, averaging 30.694 % from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2024, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 37.710 % in 2001 and a record low of 20.746 % in 2018. India Labour Force Participation Rate: Female: Aggregate Bands: Total Age data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Labour Organization. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.ILO.LFS: Labour Force Participation Rate: By Sex and Age: Annual.