Which of the following is correct observation about the occupational structure of India?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Male workers out-number female workers in all the three sectors.
Option (1) Decline in participation rates in the tertiary and service sectors. — Incorrect. It is the other way round. The share of workers in agriculture has fallen (58.2 per cent in 2001 to 54.6 per cent in 2011), and as a result the participation rate in the secondary and tertiary sectors has gone up.
Option (2) The largest proportion of workers is in the secondary sector. — Incorrect. The largest proportion is in the primary sector: about 54.6 per cent of workers are cultivators and agricultural labourers.
Option (3) Male workers out-number female workers in all the three sectors. — Correct. The table of workers shows more men than women in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors alike; the gap is widest in the tertiary sector (15.66 crore men against 4.37 crore women).
Option (4) The largest share of workers is in the household industry sector. — Incorrect. Household industries employ only 3.8 per cent of workers, the smallest share of all.
NCERT (2025-26): “Composition of Working Population … The occupational composition (see box) of India’s population (which actually means engagement of an individual in farming, manufacturing, trade, services or any kind of professional activities) show a large proportion of primary sector workers compared to secondary and tertiary sectors. About 54.6 per cent of total working population are cultivators and agricultural labourers, whereas only 3.8% of workers are engaged in household industries and 41.6 % are other workers including non-household industries, trade, commerce, construction and repair and other services. As far as the occupation of country’s male and female population is concerned, male workers out-number female workers in all the three sectors (Fig.1.4 and Table 1.4).” “Composition of Working Population … It is important to note that the proportion of workers in agricultural sector in India has shown a decline over the last few decades (58.2% in 2001 to 54.6% in 2011). Consequently, the participation rate in secondary and tertiary sector has registered an increase.…”
|
