The latest PLFS monthly bulletin (Sep, 2025) highlights that “Rising LFPR of Rural Women Uplifts Overall Female LFPR for Third Consecutive Month” and claims “Sustained Growth in Rural Female WPR Signals Strengthening Economic Inclusion.” The bulletin details trends in the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and unemployment rate. At first glance, these headlines suggest that more women are joining the workforce and that India’s rural economy is becoming more inclusive. However, such optimism needs to be viewed in context.

Female participation in the labour force has undoubtedly risen over the past few years. Rural women’s WPR increased from 17.1 per cent in 2017-18 to 38.1 per cent in 2023-24, while urban female participation rose from 20.1 per cent to 36.3 per cent during the same period. Overall female WPR grew from 19.2 per cent to 33.8 per cent. The September 2025 data also fit neatly into this upward trajectory. However, the rising labour force participation rate does not necessarily imply economic empowerment. Economists Maitreesh Ghatak, Jitendra Singh, and Mrinalini Jha (The India Forum, “Quantity vs Quality: Long-term Trends in Job Creation in the Indian Labour Market”) show that much of India’s post-2017 employment growth has come from self- employment , particularly unpaid family work, while the share of........

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