As the world marks Labour Day on May 1st—a day to celebrate the achievements and contributions of workers—India finds itself at a crossroads. New data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 brings seemingly positive news: in rural areas, the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for those aged 15 and above has risen from 57.9% to 60.1%, the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) increased from 56.0% to 58.2%, and the Unemployment Rate has sharply dropped from 5.3% to 2.5%.
Neeraj Ahuja, Associate Director, Bending Markets for Flourishing Localities Practice, and Lead of the Rural Entrepreneurship & Employability Program at Transform Rural India, reflects on these developments: “The Labour Force Participation and Employment numbers are up. However, over 73.5% of rural women and 59.4% of rural men are still self-employed, mostly in low-income, subsistence roles that offer little security or growth. Is this participation or precarious survival? Are we really unlocking dignified opportunities for rural youth, or just masking poverty with statistics?”
On the issue of unpaid work, particularly among rural youth and women, Neeraj adds, “We celebrate rising participation rates, but if that work is unpaid and unrecognized, what are we really measuring? 73.5% of rural women and 59.4% of rural men are classified as self-employed. However, a large proportion of these are in the unpaid work category—unpaid family work in agriculture or family enterprises. People are counted as ’employed,’ even if they derive no income, social protection, or growth opportunity.” In other words, while the employment rate may be rising, the quality of employment remains deeply problematic.
If we are to ensure that rural youth are not just counted but empowered, we need a paradigm shift—from quantity to quality of work. We must redefine success not as more jobs, but as better livelihoods. That means:
Investing in future-ready skills and vocational training that prepare youth for diverse career paths.
Supporting youth-led enterprises that allow young people to become creators of employment, not just seekers.
Recognizing and extending social protections to informal and unpaid workers—particularly women.
Building mentorship networks and market linkages that enable rural youth to thrive, not just survive.
This Labour Day, let us move beyond the metrics. Let us ask not just how many rural youth are working—but whether they are working with dignity, earning with stability, and living with hope. Because rural youth don’t just need jobs—they need futures.
