Indian Journal of Economics and Development

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Female Laborforce Participation in India-A Gloomy Picture


Affiliations
1 Department of Economics, Heramba Chandra College, Kolkata 700029, West Bengal, India
 

Objectives: To analyse the trend of female laborforce participation rate (FLFP) in India.

Methods/Statistical analysis: The trend of FLFP has been analysed and presented through graphs using secondary dataobtained from World Bank for a very recent period 2007-2016.Use of literature and basic statistics has been made to explore various demand side and supply side factors determining FLFP.Feminisation ‘U’ hypothesis has been tested using statistical techniques.

Findings: The trend of FLFP in India has been found to be declining inthe recent period and FLFP rate has been among the lowest in the sample of the countries considered. A major finding of this paper is that feminisation ‘U’ hypothesis of female laborforce participation rate in India has been verified for the period[2007-2015].This is in consistent with the existing literature andadds value to them as it isbased on updated data.Various measures have been suggested to stimulate FLFP in India like childcare subsidy to working mothers, better paternal leave,and improvement in physical and social infrastructure,changes in the legislation and social norms,skill development and job creation,financial and political inclusion of women, improvement in rural employment programmes etc.

Application/Improvements: Boosting FLFP has important implications for economic development of India.If measurement of household works of women can be done, the delineation of real picture of FLFP will be possible.


Keywords

Female, Laborforce, India, Trend, Determinants.
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  • Female Laborforce Participation in India-A Gloomy Picture

Abstract Views: 299  |  PDF Views: 138

Authors

Suravi Kar Roy
Department of Economics, Heramba Chandra College, Kolkata 700029, West Bengal, India

Abstract


Objectives: To analyse the trend of female laborforce participation rate (FLFP) in India.

Methods/Statistical analysis: The trend of FLFP has been analysed and presented through graphs using secondary dataobtained from World Bank for a very recent period 2007-2016.Use of literature and basic statistics has been made to explore various demand side and supply side factors determining FLFP.Feminisation ‘U’ hypothesis has been tested using statistical techniques.

Findings: The trend of FLFP in India has been found to be declining inthe recent period and FLFP rate has been among the lowest in the sample of the countries considered. A major finding of this paper is that feminisation ‘U’ hypothesis of female laborforce participation rate in India has been verified for the period[2007-2015].This is in consistent with the existing literature andadds value to them as it isbased on updated data.Various measures have been suggested to stimulate FLFP in India like childcare subsidy to working mothers, better paternal leave,and improvement in physical and social infrastructure,changes in the legislation and social norms,skill development and job creation,financial and political inclusion of women, improvement in rural employment programmes etc.

Application/Improvements: Boosting FLFP has important implications for economic development of India.If measurement of household works of women can be done, the delineation of real picture of FLFP will be possible.


Keywords


Female, Laborforce, India, Trend, Determinants.

References