Gender Wage Gap in India, Insights from PLFS 2025 The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2025 reveals that while women in India experienced higher wage growth compared to men, significant gender wage inequality persists across all job categories. Despite progress in certain areas, the disparity in earnings, job opportunities, and labor participation remains a critical issue. The survey highlights the complex interplay of factors contributing to this gap, including structural challenges in the labor market and societal norms. The data underscores that women earn less than men in every type of employment, whether salaried, casual labor, or self-employment. The wage gap varies depending on the nature of work, with the most pronounced disparity observed in self-employment, where women earned only 36% of what men earned. In salaried jobs, women’s earnings were 76% of men’s, while in casual labor, the gap was narrower at 69%. These figures illustrate that higher wage growth for women does not fully address the existing inequality. A key factor driving the wage gap is the concentration of women in low-paying and informal jobs. The informal sector, which dominates employment for many women, saw wage growth of just 3.9% in 2025, far below the growth rates in formal sectors. Additionally, occupational segregation persists, with women overrepresented in roles that are undervalued and underpaid. The survey also notes that limited access to education, skills, and capital further restricts women’s economic opportunities. Social norms, including unpaid care responsibilities, compound these challenges by limiting women’s ability to participate fully in the workforce. The PLFS 2025 data highlights a shift in employment patterns, with women increasingly moving into salaried jobs.#india #periodic_labour_force_survey #plfs_2025 #gender_wage_gap #self_employment
