89M+ Urban Indian Women Excluded from Labour Market In 2023-2024: Report

By: WE staff | Saturday, 8 March 2025

• Over 89 million urban Indian women were out of the labour market in 2023-2024
• This occurred despite a 10 percent increase in female employment over the past six years
• The report titled "India's Gender Employment Paradox" was launched on International Women's Day

Over 89 million urban Indian women remained out of the labour market in 2023-2024, despite a 10 percent increase in their employment over the last six years. The report titled "India's Gender Employment Paradox", launched on International Women's Day, was conducted by the Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai. It highlights the evolving issue of women’s unemployment in urban India.

The report also highlighted critical challenges, such as the underemployment of educated women’s skills and the potential risk of a diversity backlash. It draws its findings from an analysis of secondary data from the Periodic Labour Surveys, National Family Health Surveys, and Time Use Survey.

"India is not effectively utilizing the skills of more than 19 million graduate-educated urban women, due to personal choices or societal constraints, resulting in a significant waste of educational investments."

The report highlights that factors like caregiving duties, absence of flexible work options, and commuting challenges prevent many highly qualified women from fully engaging in the economy. It also points out a concerning trend where young male unemployment in urban India surpasses that of women (10 percent vs. 7.5 percent for ages 20-24 years).

The report also highlighted that gender gaps persist even in highly educated households. In 62 percent of dual-income, highly educated couples, husbands still earn more, despite having equal educational qualifications.

Suresh Ramanathan, Dean at the Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, stated, "If quality job creation doesn't increase to accommodate both genders, it could lead to a risk of diversity backlash."

He added, "The report warns that if quality job creation continues to lag, the increase in female employment alongside rising male joblessness could lead to societal pushback against workplace diversity, as men are expected to earn according to existing social norms."

Meanwhile, the balance remains elusive for urban mothers with access to remote work -- 86 per cent reported spending up to three workday hours on childcare while working. Yet only 44 percent feel they have adequate support. This reinforces the need for stronger workplace policies that acknowledge and address the realities of working mothers.

The report also highlights the ongoing struggle for urban mothers with access to remote work. While 86 percent spend up to three hours per workday on childcare, only 44 percent feel they receive adequate support. This underscores the need for stronger workplace policies that recognize and address the challenges faced by working mothers.