NSO Report on Million-Plus Cities: Analyzing Job Quality, Persistent Unemployment, and Rising Female LFPR

Crucially, the report highlights a steady rise in the Female Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in these large cities, which climbed to 27.2% in 2025 from 19.8% in 2017-18. This positive shift reflects growing economic agency among urban women, likely driven by rising educational attainment, changing societal norms, and expanding opportunities in the services sector. For policymakers, the NSO data underscores the need for a dual-pronged strategy. First, urban planning must focus on bridging the skill gap to address structural unemployment. Second, to sustain the momentum of rising female LFPR, municipal and state governments must invest in safe public transport, affordable childcare, and gender-sensitive urban infrastructure. UPSC Relevance: This report is highly relevant for GS Paper I (Urbanization and Women Empowerment) and GS Paper III (Indian Economy and Employment). It provides critical, up-to-date statistical data that can be used to substantiate arguments on urban labor market dualism, jobless growth, and the socio-economic factors influencing female labor force participation in India.