Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data indicates a positive trend in women's wages, Pg17

Key Highlights:

• In 2025, women's earnings grew faster than men's across all job types: salaried (7.2%), self-employment (8.8%), and casual labor (5.4%).
• The proportion of women in salaried jobs rose to 18.2% in 2025, up from 16.6% in 2024.
• Despite wage growth, women in salaried jobs earned only 76% of what men earned in 2025, a figure relatively unchanged since 2022.
• India's rural unemployment rate decreased to 2.4% in 2025 from 2.5% in 2024, while urban unemployment fell to 4.8% from 5%.

Detailed Insights:

• The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data indicates a positive trend in women's wage growth across various employment sectors, although significant gender pay gaps persist.
• While women's earnings in casual labor improved to 69% of men's earnings, self-employed women earned only 36% of what men earned, highlighting disparities.
• The Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) revealed a slower growth in the informal sector, with pay rising by only 3.9% in 2025, and a decrease in job creation compared to the previous year.
• The rural Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) saw a slight decrease to 62.8%, while the urban LFPR remained steady at 52.2%, indicating varying levels of job-seeking activity in rural and urban areas.
• Youth unemployment declined to 9.9% in 2025, but female youth unemployment saw a marginal increase to 11.3%, pointing to specific challenges faced by young women in the job market.
• The total number of employed workers aged 15 years and above is estimated at 61.6 crore, comprising 41.6 crore men and 20 crore women, based on population projections.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): A survey conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation to estimate employment and unemployment indicators.
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): The percentage of the population that is either employed or actively seeking employment.
• Salaried Jobs: Employment that provides social security benefits and is generally considered higher-quality employment.