In urban India, many women do not take up paid jobs, though they work long hours at home. According to NCERT, which option gives two reasons for the low number of women workers in urban India?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Families discourage women from jobs where men earn well; women’s housework is not seen as productive work
Two reasons keep the count of urban women workers low. Where men earn high incomes, families discourage women from taking jobs. And much of women’s household work is not recognised as productive work, so it is not counted.
Option (1) Women in towns have fewer chances to study, and most of them work as casual wage labourers — Incorrect. Urban people have more chances to study. Casual work is the second source for women, not the main one.
Option (2) Families discourage women from jobs where men earn well; women’s housework is not seen as productive work — Correct. Family attitudes and uncounted housework both lower the count.
Option (3) Urban enterprises do not need regular workers, so most women prefer to be self-employed — Incorrect. Urban enterprises do need regular workers.
Option (4) Labour laws keep women out of formal jobs, and women are counted only if an employer pays them — Incorrect. Labour laws protect workers’ rights. And the self-employed count as workers too, even with no employer.
NCERT (2026-27): “6.3 Participation of People in Employment … Compared to females, more males are found to be working. The difference in participation rates is very large in urban areas: for every 100 urban females, only about 21 are engaged in some economic activities. In rural areas, for every 100 rural women about 35 participate in the employment market. … It is common to find that where men are able to earn high incomes, families discourage female members from taking up jobs. Going back to what has already been mentioned above, many household activities done by women are not recognised as productive work. This narrow definition of work leads to non-recognition of women’s work and, therefore, to the underestimation of the number of women workers in the country. …” |