Women Record Faster Wage Growth Than Men Across Salaried, Self-Employment and Casual Jobs in 2025: PLFS Data
Why in News?
On March 27, 2026, the government released the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data for the full calendar year 2025. The numbers show that women saw higher year-on-year wage growth than men in all three major job types — salaried, self-employed and casual labour — even though women continue to earn less overall. This is the first time such a clear trend has appeared across every category, and it comes at a time when the government is focusing on improving women’s participation in the workforce.
Key Points
Women’s wages grew by 7.2% in salaried jobs, 8.8% in self-employment and 5.4% in casual labour in 2025 compared to 2024.
Men’s wages grew by 5.8% in salaried jobs, 8.0% in self-employment and recorded a decline of 0.2% in casual labour during the same period.
Average monthly earnings in 2025 stood at ₹24,271 for salaried men and ₹18,353 for salaried women; ₹17,914 for self-employed men and ₹6,314 for self-employed women; ₹455 for men in casual labour and ₹315 for women in casual labour.
The share of salaried jobs in total employment rose to 23.6% in 2025 from 22.4% in 2024, showing a shift towards better-quality employment.
Rural unemployment rate fell to 4.8% while the overall unemployment rate for people seeking work inched down.
Urban labour force participation rate rose to 52.2% in 2025, indicating more people, especially women, are entering the job market.
The data was released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) a day after the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) results.
Informal sector wages rose by only 3.9% in 2025, much slower than the growth seen in salaried and self-employed categories.
Explained
What is the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)?
The PLFS is India’s main official survey that tracks employment and unemployment every year. It is conducted by the National Sample Survey Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The survey collects data on how many people are working, what kind of jobs they have, how much they earn and whether they are looking for work. The 2025 report covers the full calendar year and gives the most recent picture of the labour market.
Why Is This Data Important for Understanding Women’s Progress?
For many years, women in India have earned less than men in every type of job. The 2025 PLFS data is encouraging because it shows women are now getting bigger percentage increases in their pay across salaried jobs, self-employment and even daily-wage casual work. This means the gap between men and women is narrowing in terms of growth rate, even if the actual amount women earn is still lower.
What Do the Exact Wage Numbers Tell Us?
The table below gives a clear picture of average monthly earnings in 2025 and how much they grew from 2024::
Salaried jobs: Men earned ₹24,271 (up 5.8%), women earned ₹18,353 (up 7.2%).
Self-employment: Men earned ₹17,914 (up 8.0%), women earned ₹6,314 (up 8.8%).
Casual labour: Men earned ₹455 (down 0.2%), women earned ₹315 (up 5.4%).
Women recorded higher growth in every category, which is a positive sign for gender equality in the labour market.
What Other Positive Trends Does the PLFS 2025 Show?
The share of people with salaried jobs (which are usually more stable and better paid) increased to 23.6% from 22.4% the previous year. Rural unemployment came down to 4.8%. More people, especially in cities, are joining the workforce, and the overall unemployment rate for those actively looking for work has also eased slightly. These changes point to a slowly improving job market.
Why Do Women Still Earn Less Even With Faster Growth?
The data clearly states that women continue to earn much less than men. For example, in salaried jobs women earned only 72.3% of what men earned in 2025, almost the same as in 2022. This happens because women are often in lower-paying roles, work fewer hours due to family responsibilities, or face social barriers. The faster growth rate is a good start, but the absolute gap remains large.
How Does This Fit Into the Bigger Picture of India’s Labour Market?
The PLFS 2025 data was released just a day after the ASUSE survey, which looks at small and informal businesses. The informal sector saw only 3.9% wage growth, much slower than the organised sector. Together, both surveys show that while quality jobs are increasing, a large part of the workforce is still in low-paying informal work. The government hopes that schemes to support women entrepreneurs and skill training will help close the remaining gaps.
Mains Question
Discuss the significance of the faster wage growth recorded by women across all job categories in the PLFS 2025 data for achieving gender equality in India’s labour market, and analyse the challenges that still remain in reducing the overall gender pay gap.
MCQ Facts
- According to the PLFS 2025 data released on March 27, 2026, in which job category did women record the highest year-on-year wage growth?17 May 2026