Women, Youth Lead Charge In Workforce Participation In India In 2024: Report

New Delhi: India in 2024 saw a boom in employment rates, with women and youth leading the charge in workforce participation, according to a report.

The report by Apna.co, a job and professional networking platform, showed women contributed an impressive 2.8 crore job applications -- 20 per cent higher than in 2023. Similarly, the youth posted a 27 per cent year-on-year increase in job applications.

Women contributed an impressive 2.8 crore job applications out of a total of 7 crore, a 25 per cent year-on-year surge, in 2024.

Flexible work opportunities, gender-focused initiatives, and the expansion of women-led sectors like e-commerce and healthcare are the primary drivers behind the growth, noted the report.

Women excelled across sectors like healthcare, hospitality, retail, and e-commerce, and embraced unconventional roles such as field sales, logistics, and security services. Applications for senior and managerial roles surged by 32 per cent, signaling women’s growing influence in shaping India’s new-age workforce.

Tier 1 cities like Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai led this surge with 1.52 crore applications, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, and Bhopal contributed 1.28 crore, marking a significant rise in opportunities beyond metro hubs, the report said.

Further, the report noted that India's fresher job market is also thriving, with a 27 per cent year-on-year increase in job applications, crossing 2 crore.

High-growth sectors like IT, mobility, retail, BFSI, and services are driving demand as young professionals propel innovation and expansion. Urban hubs like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad contributed 60 lakh applications, while regions like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar added 82 lakh, showcasing a balanced regional contribution.