More urban women are working in 2024, but unpaid household chores still fall heavily on them. Key insights from Time Use Survey for UPSC, SSC, and banking exams.

Introduction: The Unchanging Gender Divide in Urban India

Despite the rise in women’s participation in the urban workforce, the burden of unpaid household chores continues to fall disproportionately on them. The Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024, released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, reveals that while urban men are doing more domestic work than before, urban women continue to shoulder the majority of responsibilities at home.

This article presents key findings from the survey — essential for students tracking current affairs March 2025, daily GK updates, and preparing for UPSC, SSC, and other competitive exams.

Paid Work Participation: Small Gains for Women

1: Share of Urban Men and Women in Paid Work (2019 vs 2024)

Urban Women: Increased from 15.5% (2019) to 18% (2024)

Urban Men: Increased from 58.1% to 61.2%

Paid work includes regular employment, self-employment, and casual labor. The gap remains wide, with men over three times more likely to be in paid work than women.

Unpaid Household Work Still a Female Domain

2: Unpaid Services for Own Use (2019 vs 2024)

Women: Rose from 79.3% to 81%

Men: Rose from 23% to 28.5%

These services include tasks like cooking, cleaning, managing the home, and purchasing goods. While men’s contribution has grown, the overwhelming majority of women continue to perform these tasks.

Care Work: Women Still Leading, But Men Improving

3: Caring for Children, Elderly, Sick, and Differently-Abled (2019 vs 2024)

Women: From 25.9% to 31.8%

Men: From 12.9% to 17.3%

Urban men have shown a marked increase in caregiving responsibilities, but women’s share remains nearly double that of men.

State-wise Trends: The North-East Leads in Gender Balance

4: Unpaid Domestic Services for Household Members (2024)

Most States: Women’s share 75–85%, Men’s share 20–40%

Exception – North-East:

Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland: Over 50% of urban men involved in domestic chores

Kerala also performs better, with 44% of urban men participating

These states reflect a more balanced domestic responsibility model.

Women in Paid Work: Southern and Hilly States Lead

5: Paid Employment by State (2024)

Tamil Nadu: Women’s participation highest at 25%

Other Top States:

Telangana – 24%

Karnataka – 22%

Himachal Pradesh – 23%

In contrast, Bihar (9%) and Uttar Pradesh (10%) reflect extremely low female workforce participation.

Importantly, in states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, over 80% of employed women also handle domestic chores, reflecting a “double burden” on women.

📌 Key Takeaways for Quick Revision

Urban women’s participation in paid work rose to 18% in 2024.

81% of women still perform unpaid domestic services vs 28.5% of men.

Care work among women increased to 31.8%, still far ahead of men (17.3%).

Sikkim, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh show higher male participation in household work.

Tamil Nadu leads among major states in female paid employment (25%).

Why This Matters for Exams

Relevant for GS Paper I (Society) and GS Paper II (Governance and Social Justice) in UPSC.

Useful data for essays, ethics papers (gender equality), and interview discussions.

Important for SSC and banking exams under current affairs, social issues, and data interpretation.

Enhances awareness of Time Use Surveys and their role in policy formation.

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