WOMEN & MEN IN INDIA, 2024

WOMEN & MEN IN INDIA, 2024

• In April, 2025, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, released the 26th edition of its annual publication titled “Women and Men in India 2024: Selected Indicators and Data”.
• This publication offers a comprehensive overview of the gender landscape in India, presenting gender-disaggregated data from official sources across key sectors such as population, education, health, economic participation, and decision-making.
• The data is analyzed across both urban-rural divides and geographic regions.
• It is providing a detailed understanding of the challenges and progress in gender equality in India.
• The publication is an important resource for policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders aiming to develop gender-sensitive policies that foster sustainable and inclusive development.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Gender Parity in Education
  • Primary and Higher Secondary Education:
    • Gender Parity Index (GPI) is consistently high at the primary and higher secondary levels, indicating a strong female enrolment in these educational stages.
    • However, there have been fluctuations in GPI at the upper primary and elementary levels, though it generally remains close to parity.

• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):
  • Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for women aged 15 years and above improved from 49.8% in 2017-18 to 60.1% in 2023-24.
  • This represents a significant rise in women’s participation in the workforce, reflecting both improved opportunities and efforts towards gender equality in employment.

• Financial Inclusion
  • Bank Accounts and Deposits:
    • Women own 39.2% of all bank accounts in India and contribute 39.7% to total bank deposits.
    • Female participation in banking is highest in rural areas, where women make up 42.2% of bank account holders. This reflects a positive trend towards financial inclusion.
  • DEMAT Accounts (Stock Market Participation)
    • There has been a significant increase in the number of DEMAT accounts in India.
    • From March 31, 2021, to November 30, 2024, the total number of DEMAT accounts grew from 26 million to 143.02 million, marking a rise of over 4 times.
    • Although male account holders still outnumber female account holders, female participation in the stock market is growing.
    • The number of female DEMAT accounts rose from 6.67 million in 2021 to 27.71 million in 2024.
    • Similarly, male DEMAT accounts increased from 26.59 million in 2021 to 115.31 million in 2024.

• Women in Entrepreneurship:
  • The publication highlights the growing trend of women entrepreneurship.
  • The number of female-headed proprietary establishments has risen across sectors such as manufacturing, trade, and other services over the years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24.
  • Moreover, there has been a notable increase in the number of startups with at least one woman director.
  • The number of such startups increased from 1,943 in 2017 to 17,405 in 2024, reflecting the increasing entrepreneurial spirit among women in India.

• Electoral Participation:
  • Growth in Electors:
    • The total number of electors in India increased from 173.2 million in 1952 to 978 million in 2024.
    • This shows the expanding electorate over the decades.
  • Female Voter Registration:
    • There has been a notable rise in female voter registration, showing increasing participation of women in the democratic process.
  • Female Voter Turnout:
    • Female voter turnout has varied over the years. It reached 67.2% in the 2019 elections, but slightly declined to 65.8% in 2024.
    • Despite this slight decline, female voter turnout surpassed male voter turnout in 2024, indicating that women are more engaged in the electoral process than before.

GENDER & SOCIO ECONOMIC TRENDS

• Gender Parity Index (GPI) in Education:
  • The high GPI in education at the primary and secondary levels reflects the increasing importance placed on girls’ education.
  • However, efforts are needed to maintain and improve gender parity, especially at the upper primary and elementary
• Labour Force Participation:
  • The increase in LFPR is a positive sign, but it is crucial to ensure that the quality of employment for women improves alongside the increase in numbers.
  • Gender-specific barriers in the workplace, such as pay disparities and lack of leadership opportunities, still need to be addressed.
• Financial Inclusion:
  • Women’s involvement in the financial sector, especially through bank accounts and DEMAT accounts, is growing.
  • This is important for ensuring economic empowerment and reducing the gender gap in financial literacy and access to financial services.

KEY DATA TRENDS & GENDER GAPS

• Women in Leadership and Entrepreneurship:
  • The rising number of female entrepreneurs and women directors in startups suggests a positive shift, but there are still challenges in ensuring equal access to resources, networks, and opportunities for women entrepreneurs across different sectors.
• Women in Decision-Making Roles:
  • Although there is progress, women remain underrepresented in senior leadership and decision-making positions across various sectors.
  • Targeted efforts to break glass ceilings and foster equal leadership opportunities are necessary to achieve true gender equality.

CONCLUSION & IMPLICATIONS

The release of “Women and Men in India 2024: Selected Indicators and Data” by MoSPI provides a detailed, data-driven snapshot of gender equality trends in India. The data shows progress in several areas, including education, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and electoral participation, but challenges remain, particularly in areas such as decision-making, leadership, and economic participation.

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