Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/177013 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 11209
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
In this paper, we make an attempt to understand whether low labour market returns to education in India are responsible for low female work participation. The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) Employment Unemployment Survey (EUS) unit level data of India for the year 2011–12 is used to examine the relationship between educational attainment and labour market participation through gender lens. Results show that women's education has a U-shaped relationship with paid work participation. The probability to participate in the paid labour market shows an increasing trend with education levels higher than compulsory secondary schooling. The labour market returns to education are insignificant and low for lower levels of education. The returns increase significantly along with the increase in educational levels. However, females have a significant lower rate of return for each year of education as compared to men in rural and urban labour markets as well. Though it has been said that increase in female enrolment in schooling is one of the reasons of the recent declining phenomenon of female participation, but our study shows that the low returns to education is another reason for their less participation. The findings therefore suggest that, women need to be educated above secondary level to become visible in the labour market.
Subjects: 
female labour force participation
market returns to education
development
India
JEL: 
J16
J21
J82
O12
O15
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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