NEW DELHI: The newest information from the Periodic Labour Power Survey (PLFS), launched by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, sheds mild on the evolving employment panorama in India, notably specializing in the employment standing, labour drive participation, and unemployment charges throughout completely different social teams: Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), Different Backward Lessons (OBC), and the final class (known as ‘Others’).
The PLFS categorises households into 4 main social teams, with the social id of the pinnacle of the family figuring out the group’s classification. Whereas this technique helps present a common overview of employment standing, it must be famous that the survey’s pattern dimension was not tailor-made particularly to seize granular information for every social group. Consequently, the estimates might not all the time be totally consultant, notably in sure states or Union Territories.
Regardless of this limitation, the survey highlights essential tendencies. For example, STs usually exhibit increased labour drive participation and employee inhabitants ratios in comparison with SCs and OBCs. Nonetheless, it’s additionally evident that there are important employment gaps inside every group, particularly when contemplating gender.
LFPR, WPR, UR amongst varied social classes: PLFS Findings
LFPR: Labour Power Participation Price
WPR: Employee Inhabitants Ratio
UR: Unemployment Price
All figures are in percentages
Tendencies in Unemployment Charges Amongst Varied Social Teams
The info on unemployment charges for various social teams reveals a blended pattern between 2021-22 and 2023-24. Among the many Scheduled Tribe (ST) inhabitants, the unemployment charge decreased from 2.4% in 2021-22 to 1.8% in 2022-23, earlier than barely rising to 1.9% in 2023-24.
For the Scheduled Caste (SC) group, there was a drop from 4.4% in 2021-22 to three.2% in 2022-23, with a minor rise to three.3% in 2023-24. The Different Backward Lessons (OBC) group noticed a lower from 3.9% in 2021-22 to three.3% in 2022-23, adopted by an extra decline to three.1% in 2023-24.
In distinction, the ‘Others’ group skilled a drop in unemployment from 4.1% in 2021-22 to three.4% in 2022-23, however the charge elevated once more to three.8% in 2023-24. On the nationwide degree, unemployment charges fell from 4.1% in 2021-22 to three.2% in 2022-23, remaining regular at 3.2% in 2023-24. This demonstrates various patterns throughout completely different social teams, with some displaying enchancment whereas others skilled slight will increase.
Labour Power Participation Price: Gender Disparities Persist
One of many key indicators of employment is the Labour Power Participation Price (LFPR), which measures the proportion of people who’re both working or actively on the lookout for work. In line with the 2023-24 PLFS information, LFPR amongst males stays constantly excessive throughout all social teams, with ST males displaying a charge of 59.5% and OBC males at 57.5%. In distinction, feminine participation is markedly decrease. ST females have the very best LFPR amongst ladies at 46.7%, whereas ladies within the ‘Others’ class lag behind at simply 26.2%.
Whereas the general LFPR for the final inhabitants has risen from 41.3% in 2021-22 to 45.1% in 2023-24, gender inequality stays stark. Social group disparities additionally persist, with SC and OBC communities usually reporting decrease participation charges than STs and ‘Others.’ For instance, the LFPR for SC ladies was solely 32.2% in 2023-24, in comparison with 46.7% for ST ladies. This gender hole underscores the continuing problem of encouraging ladies to enter and stay within the workforce.
Employee Inhabitants Ratio: Modest Beneficial properties for Ladies
The Employee Inhabitants Ratio (WPR) represents the proportion of the inhabitants engaged in any type of financial exercise. Much like the LFPR, the WPR for males is considerably increased than for girls throughout all social teams. In 2023-24, ST males reported a WPR of 58.2%, whereas SC males had a WPR of 55.6%. In the meantime, SC females had a a lot decrease WPR of 31.3%, reflecting the continued gender imbalance in financial participation.
Nonetheless, there have been incremental positive aspects in WPR amongst ladies throughout social teams. For instance, the WPR for ST ladies rose from 39.3% in 2021-22 to 46.0% in 2023-24. Regardless of these enhancements, feminine participation within the workforce stays disproportionately low. Within the ‘Others’ class, which incorporates people not categorised beneath ST, SC, or OBC, ladies recorded a WPR of solely 24.9% in 2023-24.
