Labor force, female in India
India: Labor force, female was 28.3% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force, female in India, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force, female in India stood at 28.3%.
That represents a change of up 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in India peaked at 28.5% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 24.3%, in 2013.
That places India 166th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Labor force, female in India, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 25.3% | — |
| 1991 | 25.4% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 25.5% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 25.6% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 25.7% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 26.0% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 26.4% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 26.7% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 27.1% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 27.4% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 27.8% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 27.9% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 28.1% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 28.2% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 28.4% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 28.5% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 27.9% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 27.2% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 26.6% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 25.9% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 25.2% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 24.8% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 24.3% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 24.3% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 24.3% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 24.4% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 24.4% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 24.5% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 24.6% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 24.7% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 25.7% | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 27.5% | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 28.3% | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 28.3% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 26.1% | 25.3% | 27.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.7% | 25.9% | 28.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.5% | 24.3% | 25.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.8% | 24.5% | 28.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More education data for India
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,023 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.19 million (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in India?
- Labor force, female in India was 28.3% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 28.5% in 2005.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.3% in 2013.
- How does India rank for labor force, female?
- India ranks 166th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.