The national rise in female labour force participation hides sharp differences between States. Using PLFS trends, discuss why the North Eastern States behave differently and what this means for policy.

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) of MoSPI shows female labour force participation (usual status) rising from 23.3% in 2017–18 to 41.7% in 2023–24 [1]. This national rise hides a gap of more than 10 percentage points (pp) in the yearly rate of change between States. The North Eastern (NE) States lead that change [2].

PLFS trends: an uneven rise

• Between 2019–20 and 2025, rural FLFPR rose from 33% to 45.9% and urban FLFPR from 23.3% to 27.7%. That is an average of +2.58 pp a year in rural areas and +0.88 pp a year in urban areas [2].
• Arunachal Pradesh had the fastest rise in both rural (+8.28) and urban (+5.24) areas. Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Tripura were also above the national urban average [2].
• Delhi and Lakshadweep fell in both rural and urban areas. Urban participation also fell in Puducherry and Ladakh [2].

Why the North East behaves differently

• Social norms: NE women already take part in work more than women in most of India [2]. Tribal, community-based societies likely place fewer limits on where women can go and work.
• Institutions: Sixth Schedule self-governance and community land ownership probably keep women active in farming, weaving and local markets.
• A regional pattern, not one State: urban participation is above the national average in six NE States [2]. This points to shared structural causes, not chance.
• Caution: the yearly rate of change measures speed, not level. Arunachal's +8.28 does not make it the best State for women's work [2].

What this means for policy

• Quality, not just numbers: 64.2% of women workers are self-employed, many as unpaid helpers in family farms or shops. Only 18.2% have regular salaried jobs [3]. MoSPI should publish this type-of-work split for each State.
• Rural livelihoods: DAY-NRLM self-help groups should move women from unpaid family work to running their own businesses.
• Urban barriers: 50.8% of urban women who work have regular salaried jobs [4]. The urban problem is getting women into work, not the quality of the jobs. Childcare, safe transport and workplace safety are the main fixes, especially in UTs the Centre administers, such as Delhi and Ladakh.
• State-specific design: one national template will not work. Other States should study the NE's social norms and local economy before copying its model.

The PLFS trends show that women's work depends on social norms, institutions and local economies as much as on economic growth. If policy is designed State by State and focuses on the quality of work, India can turn the higher number of women working into real economic independence. That would advance SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 8 (decent work).