This article is part of the UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis, covering The Hindu editorial – " More Indian women take up jobs and still shoulder most household chores," published on The Hindu, by the best UPSC coaching in Kolkata.
Syllabus: UPSC General Studies Paper-I (GS-I) Indian Society
India has seen a steady rise in the number of urban women who are entering the workforce. But the responsibilities of women at home at the same time remains unchanged. Despite the growing presence of women in formal employment they continue to bear the overwhelming burden of unpaid domestic work from cooking and cleaning to childcare and eldercare.
More urban men are stepping into domestic roles the increase is not significant enough to bridge the deep-seated gender divide. Women still spend far more time on household chores reinforcing the notion that housework is primarily their responsibility. The only exception is found in some north-eastern States, where a relatively higher proportion of men participate in household work.
Between 2019 and 2024 there has been a marginal but notable increase in workforce participation among urban women. The share of women engaged in paid employment rose from 15.5% to 18% indicating a slow but steady shift. However, this remains significantly lower than the 61.2% employment rate among urban men, which itself saw an increase from 58.1% during the same period.
Urban women mainly engage in self-employment, regular wage jobs and casual labor but their opportunities remain limited compared to men. Many women enter the workforce out of financial necessity rather than choice, often finding themselves in low-paying, informal jobs that lack stability and social security.
There is a huge contrast in male and female employment figures. This highlights the structural barriers that prevent women from achieving economic independence like:
Even as more women take up paid employment their unpaid domestic workload continues to rise. The proportion of women engaged in domestic tasks, such as meal preparation, shopping, home maintenance, and waste disposal, rose from 79.3% in 2019 to 81% in 2024.
For urban men there has been a slight increase in participation in domestic work, rising from 23% to 28.5% over the same period. However, this remains drastically lower than women’s contribution, reinforcing the traditional expectation that women must balance both professional and household responsibilities.
Beyond daily chores, caregiving remains a highly gendered responsibility. The percentage of women engaged in caregiving tasks—such as looking after children, the sick, the elderly, and differently abled family members—rose from 25.9% to 31.8%.
While the share of men involved in caregiving also increased from 12.9% to 17.3%, their participation still lags significantly behind women’s contribution. The assumption that caregiving is an extension of a woman’s role as a nurturer persists, leaving them exhausted and overburdened.
More Indian women take up jobs, and still shoulder most household chores
Across most Indian States the percentage of men involved in domestic work remains low, typically ranging between 20% and 40%. Women’s participation, on the other hand, stays consistently high, between 75% and 85%.
However, some north-eastern States break this trend. In Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, more than 50% of urban men engage in household chores reflecting a more egalitarian division of labor.Among the major States Kerala leads the way with 44% of urban men contributing to household work significantly higher than the national average. This suggests a gradual shift in social attitudes towards domestic labor in these regions.
If we analyze women’s participation in paid employment there is huge disparity in this across States. Urban men’s employment rates range between 55% and 65% but the figures for women are drastically lower, with vast differences between regions.
In States where more women are part of the workforce they still continue to bear the brunt of household work. For instance, in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh over 80% of women who are employed also handle domestic chores, showcasing the severe time poverty faced by working women.
This dual burden forces many women to compromise their career aspirations, limit their working hours or leave the workforce entirely due to burnout and lack of support at home.
Women may be stepping into the workforce but their responsibilities at home remain unchanged. The rise in male participation in household chores is way too slow to make a meaningful impact as it leaves women to juggle both professional and domestic duties.
To bridge the gender gap in both paid and unpaid labor the following measures are essential:
Unless society actively challenges traditional gender norms women will continue to bear an unfair share of household labor and it limits their economic and personal growth. Finally, the future of gender equality in India depends on increasing women’s workforce participation plus it also also on redistributing domestic responsibilities within households.
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q.Urban women’s workforce participation is rising, yet they bear the brunt of unpaid domestic work. Analyze the barriers and suggest policy measures for equitable burden-sharing. (250 words) |
1. Why is women’s workforce participation rising in urban India?
Better education, economic need and shifting norms but growth is slow.
2. Why do women still handle most household work?
Deep-rooted gender roles and low male participation.
3. Which states have the highest female workforce participation?
Tamil Nadu (25%), Telangana (24%), Karnataka (22%), Himachal Pradesh (23%).
4. How can the gender gap in unpaid work be reduced?
Shared household duties, flexible work policies and childcare support.
5. Are men contributing more to household chores?
Slight rise (23% to 28.5%) but still much lower than women (80%+).
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