Women Leading India’s Economic Transformation Story : GS TIMES IAS-PCS

Women’s Employment Rate Nearly Doubled: The women’s Workforce Participation Rate (WPR) surged from 22% in 2017–18 to 40.3% in 2023–24, according to PLFS data. Meanwhile, the Female Unemployment Rate dropped from 5.6% to 3.2% over the same period.
Rural and Urban Gains: In rural areas, female employment rose by 96%, while urban areas saw a 43% increase.

Improved Employability
The employability of female graduates rose from 42% in 2013 to 47.53% in 2024. Among women with postgraduate or higher education, WPR increased from 34.5% in 2017–18 to 40% in 2023–24.
Growing Formal Workforce: Over the past seven years, 1.56 crore women have joined the formal workforce, according to EPFO payroll data. Additionally, as of August 2025, over 16.69 crore women unorganized workers have registered on e-Shram, enabling them access to various social welfare schemes.

Rapid Growth in Self-Employment: Female self-employment rose by 30%, from 51.9% in 2017–18 to 67.4% in 2023–24, signaling increasing economic independence.
Massive Increase in Gender Budget Allocation: Gender budgets have grown by 429% over the past decade—from ₹0.85 lakh crore in FY 2013–14 (RE) to ₹4.49 lakh crore in FY 2025–26.
Entrepreneurship on the Rise: Nearly 50% of DPIIT-registered startups now have at least one woman director—74,410 out of more than 1.54 lakh startups.
Financial Inclusion via MUDRA & PM SVANidhi: Women received 68% of all MUDRA loans (over 35.38 crore loans amounting to ₹14.72 lakh crore). Under PM SVANidhi, 44% of beneficiaries are women.

Job Creation & Enterprise Growth: Women-led MSMEs generated over 89 lakh additional jobs from FY 21 to FY 23. The share of women-owned proprietary establishments rose from 17.4% in 2010–11 to 26.2% in 2023–24. The total number of women-led MSMEs nearly doubled—from 1 crore to 1.92 crore over the same period.

(Source: PIB)

Women Leading India’s Economic Transformation Story