India’s Female Workforce: The Power of Education in Achieving Gender Equality

India’s low female labor force participation rate (FLFPR) has been a topic of discussion and confusion in recent years, particularly when compared to neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. However, according to the PLFS data, India’s FLFPR is now in the mid-20s. This article explores the
reasons behind this and highlights the important role of education in changing the narrative. The ILO’s definition of work changed, and while not mandatory for all statistical agencies to accept the change, India did so. The change meant that production towards home consumption would no longer be counted as work for pay or profit If the definition had not changed, there would have been an extra 38mn in the female workforce in 2011. The change in the definition of work can explain about half of this difference – unpaid family workers declined by 18mn. The other 20mn women went into education, causing a decline in FLFPR. However, the biggest story emerging from the data is the enrollment of women in India at all levels of education. The new generation, between 25 and 30 years old today, will cause the LFPR to systematically increase because higher education, all other things being equal, does lead to greater work participation. Women’s enrollment in education has increased from two-fifths of male enrollment in 1983 to now 83%, and in the dominant enrollment age group of 15-22 years, the ratio is 95%.

Staff Reporter