An Analysis Of Persistent Gender Disparity In Employment: Evidence From India’s Workforce, 2004-05 To 2023-24

Abstract

Gender disparity in employment remains a persistent challenge in India, despite significant economic progress and rising educational attainment. According to various  NSSO’s rounds on employment and unemployment, female workforce participation lags far behind that of her male counterpart. The participation of females in economic activity is very crucial for the development of any developing country, as females constitute 50% of the total population, so their economic participation can significantly contribute to the growth rate of the country.

The present research paper comprehensively analyses the gender dimension of employment and the gender disparity in employment over the two decades using the NSSO’s unit-level data from 2004-05 to 2023-24, segmented by area, sector, status of employment and levels of education. The findings show a declining trend in the WPR for both males and females in both rural and urban areas, with the exception of the urban females, as well as a decrease in persistent gender disparity in employment in both rural and urban areas during the study period. Furthermore, an increase in both male-female WPR is observed in both secondary and tertiary sectors in both rural and urban areas, with the exception of urban males in the secondary sector during the study period. Gender disparity in employment in all three sectors increased in rural areas, while it decreased in urban areas during the study period. A shift in female employment from casual workers to regular and self-employment is also evident, irrespective of the area. The gender gap in employment declined only for self-employed in both rural and urban areas and the largest gender gap in employment is found for self-employment in rural areas and regular workers in urban areas during the study period. A U-shaped relationship between male WPR and levels of education is confirmed in all study years except the most recent one, 2023-24, irrespective of area; however, this relationship does not hold true for females throughout the study period. Furthermore, findings indicate that merely the attainment of higher education does not guarantee an increase in the number of females entering the workforce.