Graphic of the day: Urban female LFPR lags

India's urban female participation rate holds at 25.5 percent, far behind rural women at 40 percent

Last Updated: Mar 16, 2026, 16:59 IST1 min

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India's urban female labour force participation rate held at 25.5 percent in February 2026, unchanged from January, per government data. The figure has moved narrowly between 25.2 percent and 26.1 percent since April 2025—signalling that urban women's workforce inclusion remains largely stagnant. Meanwhile, India's overall female labour force participation rate rose to 35.3 percent in February 2026, as rural women drove the gain at 40 percent.

First Published: Mar 16, 2026, 17:38

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