Job numbers rise in India, but millions still lack secure work

UPDATE - follow-up to Even as unemployment falls, lack of 'decent work' in India: India's unemployment rate dropped from 6.1 percent in the years 2017 to 2018 down to 3.2 percent in the years 2023 to 2024. Female workforce participation also grew for the first time in decades. Despite these positive numbers, workers across many sectors still face poor job conditions and limited social security.

Workplace Realities

A garment worker sewing without a formal contract, a gig worker without insurance, and a construction labourer without paid leave all count as employed. Yet these jobs do not offer true security or stability. The International Labour Organization calls for decent work that provides fair income, workplace rights, social security, and dignity. This goal is part of Sustainable Development Goal 8, known as SDG-8. India's job market continues to show high levels of informality and growing inequality.

Context

Workers who lack social security often spend less money, save less for the future, and stay vulnerable to sudden economic shocks. This trend affects the wider economy by slowing down overall growth.