A National Statistics Office (NSO) household survey released this week found that 68.8 % of women aged 15‑59 in India’s ten biggest metropolitan areas are not participating in the labour force because of childcare and domestic responsibilities. The same data show that employed urban women earn, on average, 23 % less than men after adjusting for occupation and education, even as a larger share of them hold formal or skilled jobs compared with women in smaller towns.
What the survey captured
The NSO’s “Annual Employment and Unemployment Survey” for 2025‑26 surveyed 150,000 households across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat and Jaipur. Respondents were asked about current employment status, primary reasons for non‑participation and details of any work performed, including sector, contract type and monthly earnings.
* Labour‑force participation: 31.2 % of women in the surveyed cities reported being employed, versus 65.5 % of men.
* Reason for non‑participation: Among the 68.8 % of women who were not working, 58.4 % cited “childcare and housework” as the main barrier; an additional 10.4 % listed “family care” for elderly relatives. By contrast, only 34.5 % of men who were not employed gave caregiving as their primary reason.
* Earnings gap: Women’s average monthly wages were ₹19,800, compared with ₹25,700 for men, a 23 % difference after controlling for education level, industry and job tenure.
* Job quality: The share of women in “formal” employment (defined as jobs with social security benefits and written contracts) rose to 42 % in the metros, up from 31 % in the 2022‑23 survey, while the proportion in “skilled” occupations increased from 18 % to 27 %.
Why the findings matter
The NSO data highlight a persistent gender divide in the allocation of unpaid care work, even in India’s most economically dynamic regions. Labour‑force participation is a key driver of per‑capita income growth; the International Labour Organization estimates that closing the gender gap in employment could add up to 27 % to India’s GDP by 2030. The survey suggests that without substantial policy interventions, the potential contribution of half the adult population will remain untapped.
The earnings gap, though narrower than the 30 % gap reported in the 2022‑23 national figures, still signals systemic inequities. Women’s higher representation in formal and skilled jobs could indicate a structural shift toward service‑oriented sectors that traditionally offer better wages and benefits. Yet the simultaneous decline in overall participation means that many women are not reaching those higher‑skill roles at all.
Background and context
India’s labour‑force participation rate for women has hovered around 20 % for the past decade, well below the global average of 48 % (World Bank, 2023). Historically, cultural expectations assign primary responsibility for childrearing and household management to women, limiting their ability to seek or retain employment.
Recent policy efforts have aimed to address this imbalance. The central government’s “National Early Childhood Care and Education” (ECCE) scheme, launched in 2022, seeks to expand affordable pre‑school slots in urban districts. Additionally, several state governments—including Maharashtra and Karnataka—have piloted “women‑only” childcare centres linked to industrial parks. However, the NSO’s latest figures suggest that coverage remains insufficient to shift the aggregate participation rate.
Competing claims and areas of uncertainty
* Effectiveness of existing childcare programmes: Government officials argue that the ECCE scheme has already enrolled 1.2 million children in urban areas, citing Ministry of Women and Child Development data. Critics point out that the scheme’s eligibility criteria—requiring formal employment of at least one parent—exclude many of the women who are currently out of the labour force precisely because they lack such employment. The NSO survey did not capture enrolment status, leaving a gap in assessing programme impact.
* Informal care networks: Some sociologists contend that extended family support, common in many Indian households, mitigates the need for formal childcare. A 2024 study by the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad found that 42 % of urban families rely on grandparents for daily child supervision. The NSO data, however, aggregate “childcare and housework” into a single category, making it impossible to separate the effect of informal versus formal care arrangements.
* Measurement of “quality” of employment: The survey’s classification of “formal” and “skilled” jobs is based on self‑reported contract type and occupational titles, which may not fully reflect job security, benefits or career progression. Independent labour economists have warned that rapid growth in the gig economy could inflate formal‑job figures without delivering substantive improvements in workers’ rights.
What to watch next
* Policy rollout of the ECCE scheme: The Ministry of Women and Child Development is scheduled to release a mid‑year progress report in September 2026, detailing enrollment numbers, geographic coverage and budget utilization. Analysts will be watching whether the report includes impact assessments on women’s labour‑force participation.
* State‑level pilots: Karnataka’s “Urban Childcare Hubs” pilot, launched in February 2026, aims to provide subsidized daycare for up to 10,000 children in Bengaluru’s tech corridors. Early data on enrollment and user satisfaction will be released in a joint statement with the Karnataka Labour Department in November.
* Labour‑law reforms: The central government has announced a draft amendment to the “Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2023” that would extend paid parental leave to fathers. If enacted, the change could alter household caregiving dynamics, though its real‑world effect will depend on employer compliance and cultural acceptance.
* Future NSO surveys: The NSO plans to conduct a follow‑up survey in 2027 with a larger sample of informal workers and a more granular breakdown of unpaid care activities. Comparisons with the 2025‑26 data will help gauge whether any policy shifts are translating into higher female participation.
Conclusion
The NSO’s latest survey paints a stark picture: despite modest gains in job quality, almost seven‑tenths of women in India’s biggest cities remain excluded from paid work because of childcare and housework. The earnings gap, while narrowing, persists, underscoring that improvements in job composition alone are insufficient to achieve gender parity. Addressing the unpaid care burden—through expanded, affordable childcare, more inclusive parental‑leave policies and a cultural shift toward shared domestic responsibilities—appears essential for unlocking the economic potential of urban women. As policymakers roll out new programmes and the next round of labour data becomes available, the extent to which these interventions can alter the participation landscape will be a key barometer of India’s progress toward inclusive growth.
Sources
Times of India, “Childcare, housework keep 69% urban women out of work: NSO,” https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/childcare-housework-keep-69-urban-women-out-of-work-nso/articleshow/132203121.cms
Story synopsis gathered from: Times of India – Top Stories — source
Corrections
If you believe this article contains an error, contact Herald Express with the source URL and supporting evidence.
