Women’s Employment Rate in India Jumps from 22% to 40.3% in 6 years

New delhi: The Ministry of Labor and Employment on MONDAY highlighted that India has witnessed a remarkable increase in the female workforce participation party, based on the Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS) Which shows that the women’s employment rate (PR) Grew from 22 per cent in 2017-18 to 40.3 per cent in 2023-24, while the Unempolyment Rate (UR) dropped from 5.6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per 3.2 per 323-24.

This shift is even more significant in rural India, where female employment has grown by 96 per cent with urban area area has seen an ankrease of 43 per cent in Emplie in Empolyment Dering the Same Period.

The employability of female graduates have also increased from 42 per cent in 2013 to 47.53 per cent in 2024. 2017-18 to 40 per cent in 2023-24, as per the statement.

According to the India Skills Report 2025, Nearly 55 per cent of Indian Graduates Are Expected to Be Globally Employable In 2025, UP from 51.2 Per Cent in 2024.

Additional, Epfo Payroll Data Further Highlights the Increasing Participation of Women in the Formal Sector. Over the Past Seven Years, 1.56 Crore Women Have Joined The Formal Workforce. Meanwhile, e-shram, as of august, has recorded over 16.69 Crore Unorganized Women Workers’ Registrations, Providing them access to various welfare schemes of the centers of the centers.

The ministry has highlighted that efforts by the center are contributing to growth in women entrepreneurs. At the National Level, 70 Central Schemes Across 15 Ministry and more than 400 state-level schemes focus on supporting female entrepreneurship. Plfs data shows that female self-comloyment grew by 30 per cent-from 51.9 per cent in 2017-18 to 67.4 per cent in 2023-24, Making Women Truly Atmanirbhar, IT Said.

Gender Budgets Have Increased by 429 per cent in the last decade, rising from Rs 0.85 lakh Crore in FY 2013-14 (Re) to Rs 4.49 Lakh Crore in FY 2025-26. This reflects a paradigm shift from women’s development to women-long development, with a strong focus on employment, employability, entrepreneurship, and wafare.

Programmes Like Startup India have fosted a thriving ecosystem, with generly 50 per cent of dpiit-igisted Startups having at Least One Woman Director, IE, 74,410 out Over 1.54 Lakh. Today, Around two Crore women have become Lakhpati Didi. Flagship Programmes Such as Namo Drone Didi, and Deendayal Anyodaya Yojana – NRLM are also playing a Crucial Role in this transformation, Equipping them with Resources and OPPOTURTUTIES NEEDED TO DRIEDED Sustainable Progress, The Statement Pointed Out.

Another Important Driver of the Rise in Women’s Self -Employment is PM Mudra Yojana, which is playing a Crucial Role in Financial Inclusion, with Women Receiving 68 Per Cent of the Total Mudra Loans – Over 35.38 Crore Loans Worth Rs 14.72 Lakh Crore. Similarly, PM Svanidhi has Empowered street vendors, and Around 44 per cent beneficiaries are women under the scheme. These initiatives are driving a new wave of Economic Self-Reliance Among Women across India.

Additionally, women-long micro, small, and medium enterprises (msmes) have also emerged as key drivers of Economic Excitation, Generating Over 89 Lakh Additional Jobs For Women from FY FY FY 23. Women-Owned Proprietary Establishments have surgged from 17.4 per cent in 2010-11 to 26.2 per cent in 2023-24, and the number of women-tar also also also also nearly doubled, groving from 1 croz 2023-24, highlighting the increase role of women in Shaping India’s Economic Future.