Healthcare, care infra key to women staying in work, says Economic Survey 2025-26

Women’s ability to stay in paid employment will depend on healthcare access and care infrastructure rather than job availability alone, the Economic Survey 2025–26 tabled in Parliament on Thursday said, as it outlined the conditions needed to sustain gains in female labour participation.

The Survey said women’s participation in paid work depends on health outcomes, caregiving responsibilities, and workplace support, and that addressing these factors is necessary for retaining women in the workforce. It treats healthcare and care services as conditions that determine whether women can continue in employment over time.

Drawing on the Time Use Survey 2024, the Economic Survey highlighted the scale of unpaid care work borne by women. It noted that “41% of females aged 15–59 years participated in caregiving for their household members”, compared with “21.4%” of men. Women spent “about 140 minutes daily in caregiving activities”, nearly double the time spent by men.

The Survey further stated that women spent “about 363 minutes a day on unpaid activities”, while men spent “around 123 minutes a day”. This imbalance, it said, results in a “dual burden of work”, limiting women’s ability to remain engaged in paid employment alongside caregiving responsibilities.

According to the Survey, this care burden has a direct bearing on labour market outcomes. “While women participating in paid work contribute a considerable amount of time, their overall participation remains lower than that of men,” it stated.

The Economic Survey noted that India has recorded a “positive trend in female labour force participation”, with participation rising from “23.3% in 2017–18 to 41.7% in 2023–24”. However, it added that sustaining this trend will require addressing constraints such as “limited mobility, lack of affordable housing, and inflexible work arrangements that conflict with caregiving responsibilities”.

Healthcare access is identified as a key factor in workforce retention. The Survey stated that improving women’s participation will require “availability of childcare facilities and crèches”, alongside “flexible work policy” and support systems that reduce health- and care-related exits from employment.

The Survey also referred to recent regulatory changes aimed at expanding employment opportunities for women. It noted that “17 states and Union Territories have removed prohibitions on women’s employment in designated hazardous industries”, while “around 22 states and UTs” have permitted night-time work for women in factories, subject to safeguards.

Beyond participation, the Survey linked women’s health to productivity and retention. It noted that interventions addressing “financial, mental, and physical health” can improve productivity and reduce attrition, particularly among women entering urban manufacturing and services jobs.

Looking ahead, the Economic Survey said raising female labour force participation to “around 55 per cent by 2050” would support sustained economic growth. It added that this would depend on continued investment in healthcare access, care infrastructure and workplace support that enable women to remain economically active.