Women’s participation in workforce has dipped: Ministry of Labor and Employment’s AQES

According to the All-India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey (AQEES) report for the first quarter of Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) part (April to June 2021), the participation of women has dropped to 29%, that is, 2% lower than in the 6th Economic Census, 2013-14

Union Minister for Labour and Employment Bhupender Yadav released the employment report ‘All-India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey (AQEES)’ for the first quarter of Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) part (April to June 2021). The report reveals that the over-all participation of women workers declined to 29 per cent, which is two per cent lower than the level recorded in the 6th Economic Census, 2013-14.

The report was prepared by the Labour Bureau and covers quarterly updates about employment-related issues in organised and unorganised segments of nine selected sectors — manufacturing, construction, trade, transport, education, health, accommodation and restaurants, IT/ BPO and financial services.

The report estimates that total employment in the first round of QES in the aforementioned sectors stood at 3 crores and 8 lakhs.

The Minister announced that employment share in terms of percentage estimated for the sectors stands as: 41 per cent for manufacturing, 22 per cent for education, 8 per cent for health while IT/BPO and trade hold seven per cent each.

Of the developments, IT/BPO accounts for the most significant bump in jobs, witnessing a 152 per cent increase. Growth rates in the health, education, manufacturing, transportation and construction sectors were also encouraging, standing at 77, 39, 22, 68 and 42 per cent, respectively.

Regular workers constitute 88 per cent of the estimated workforce in the nine selected sectors, with only two per cent being casual workers.