What does India’s emerging demographic dividend look like for its workforce, particularly its female workers?
India’s workforce nearly doubled from 324 million in 1987–88 to 606 million in 2023–24, and grew older. Comparing 1987–88 (dashed outline) with 2023–24 (solid bars) shows how the dividend is unfolding.
Children have all but disappeared from the workforce. Nearly 5% of workers were aged 10–14 in 1987–88; today it is close to zero. The share of 15–19-year-olds has more than halved, as more young people stay longer in education. The workforce has also matured: its peak has shifted from the late 20s to the mid-30s, with many more workers in their 40s and 50s.
For women, the picture is more complex. The number of working women nearly doubled, from 106 million to 202 million, but their share of the workforce barely moved, from 32.9% to 33.4%. Women in their early 20s now form a smaller share of workers, while the largest gains are among those aged 35–54. This likely reflects more young women staying in higher education, many then struggling to find suitable work, and older women re-entering work after marriage and childbirth, often in low-productivity or own-account jobs, especially in rural areas. The gender gap has widened among workers in their 20s and narrowed from the mid-30s. Men tend to move from education straight into work, while young women’s entry is delayed and interrupted by unemployment, marriage, childbearing and social norms that restrict their mobility.
India’s population is ageing rapidly. According to the UNFPA–IIPS India Ageing Report 2023, one in five Indians will be aged 60 or above by 2050, and the elderly will outnumber children by 2046. Realising the demographic dividend before then will depend on whether women, particularly younger women, can access and sustain meaningful paid employment.
India’s workforce nearly doubled from 324 million in 1987–88 to 606 million in 2023–24, and grew older. Comparing 1987–88 (dashed outline) with 2023–24 (solid bars) shows how the dividend is unfolding.
Children have all but disappeared from the workforce. Nearly 5% of workers were aged 10–14 in 1987–88; today it is close to zero. The share of 15–19-year-olds has more than halved, as more young people stay longer in education. The workforce has also matured: its peak has shifted from the late 20s to the mid-30s, with many more workers in their 40s and 50s.
For women, the picture is more complex. The number of working women nearly doubled, from 106 million to 202 million, but their share of the workforce barely moved, from 32.9% to 33.4%. Women in their early 20s now form a smaller share of workers, while the largest gains are among those aged 35–54. This likely reflects more young women staying in higher education, many then struggling to find suitable work, and older women re-entering work after marriage and childbirth, often in low-productivity or own-account jobs, especially in rural areas. The gender gap has widened among workers in their 20s and narrowed from the mid-30s. Men tend to move from education straight into work, while young women’s entry is delayed and interrupted by unemployment, marriage, childbearing and social norms that restrict their mobility.
India’s population is ageing rapidly. According to the UNFPA–IIPS India Ageing Report 2023, one in five Indians will be aged 60 or above by 2050, and the elderly will outnumber children by 2046. Realising the demographic dividend before then will depend on whether women, particularly younger women, can access and sustain meaningful paid employment.
