The Gender Angle to India’s Economic Vulnerabilities | A Wake-Up Call for Inclusive Growth

 

The Gender Angle to India’s Economic Vulnerabilities | A Wake-Up Call for Inclusive Growth

By Suryavanshi IAS

Tags: #UPSC #GS1 #GS3 #IndianEconomy #SocialIssues #Gender #WomensEmpowerment #DemographicDividend #CurrentAffairs

Hello Aspirants,

Recent geopolitical developments, like the proposed U.S. tariffs on Indian exports, are not just topics for international relations (GS Paper II). They are deeply intertwined with India's internal social and economic structures, a classic overlap of GS Paper I, II, and III. A recent insightful piece by Anurodh Lalit Jain highlights a critical but often overlooked aspect: how gender disparities are a core strategic vulnerability for the Indian economy.

This blog will deconstruct this issue through the lens of the UPSC syllabus, linking it to core themes and previous year questions.

The Core Argument: Why Gender is an Economic Issue

India's economy, on its way to becoming the world's third-largest, faces a potential shock from proposed U.S. tariffs. The key insight is that these tariffs target sectors like textiles, gems & jewellery, and leather—industries that are not just labour-intensive, but disproportionately employ women.

This external threat exposes an internal weakness: India's chronically low Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR). Despite economic growth, our FLFPR has stagnated around 37-41.7%, far below the global average and China's 60%. This isn't just a social justice issue; it's a massive economic inefficiency. The IMF estimates that bridging the gender gap could boost India's GDP by 27%.

Syllabus Mapping and Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

This topic sits at the intersection of multiple General Studies papers:

1. GS Paper I (Society & Social Justice)

• Salient features of Indian Society: Role of women and women’s organization.

• Social Empowerment: Issues relating to development and management of social sectors/services.

• PYQ (2022): "Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail."

• PYQ (2021): "Explain why suicide among young women is increasing in Indian society."

• PYQ (2019): "Examine the role of gig economy in the process of empowerment of women in India." (This is directly relevant!)

2. GS Paper II (Governance & International Relations)

• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. (The U.S. tariff policy is a prime example)

• Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections: Their performance and mechanisms.

• PYQ (2023): "The G20 summit… focussed on promoting women’s empowerment and digital transformation for socioeconomic progress." (A current affairs link)

• PYQ (2020): "How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Discuss."

3. GS Paper III (Economy)

• Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.

• Effects of liberalization on the economy.

• Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

• PYQ (2023): "Explain the changes in cropping pattern in India in the context of changes in consumption pattern and marketing conditions."

• PYQ (2021): "Explain the difference between computing methodology of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before the year 2015 and after the year 2015."

• PYQ (2019): "It is argued that the strategy of inclusive growth is intended to meet the objectives of inclusiveness and sustainability together." Comment.

Deconstructing the Vulnerability: The Demographic Dividend Clock is Ticking

India is in the midst of its demographic dividend—a period where the working-age population is larger than the dependent population. This window, which fueled the growth of China and the East Asian tigers, is not permanent and is projected to close around 2045.

To harness this dividend, we need to employ our entire working-age population, not just half of it. The current scenario, where millions of women are either unable or unwilling to join the formal workforce due to:

• Social and cultural constraints

• The burden of unpaid care work (a concept often asked in UPSC)

• Safety concerns and inadequate public infrastructure

• Lack of flexible work options

...is akin to trying to win a race with one leg tied behind our back. We risk squandering this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and facing a fate similar to Southern European economies like Italy and Greece, where low FLFPR has been a long-term drag on growth.

Learning from Global Models and Indian Success Stories

The article rightly points to global roadmaps:

• USA (WWII Era): Leveraged female labour through policies like equal pay and state-supported childcare.

• China (Post-1978 Reforms): Achieved a 60%+ FLFPR through massive state investment in care infrastructure and education.

• Netherlands: Popularized the part-time work model with equal benefits, a highly relevant model for India.

Indian initiatives are showing the way:

• Karnataka’s Shakti Scheme: Free bus travel for women. This isn't a freebie; it's an economic mobility tool. A 40% surge in female ridership translates to better access to jobs and education, reducing dependence and increasing autonomy.

• Formalizing the Gig Economy: Platforms like Urban Company provide over 15,000 women with not just income (₹18,000-₹25,000/month) but also safety, skill development, and social security like accident and maternity insurance. This directly addresses the PYQ on the gig economy and women's empowerment (2019).

• Rajasthan’s Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme: Created 4 crore person-days of work, with 65% of jobs going to women. Its flexible, neighbourhood-based work in sanitation and greening allows women constrained by domestic duties to participate.

The Way Forward: A Strategy for UPSC Answers

As future administrators, your solutions must be structural, not populist. Instead of blanket cash transfers, advocate for:

1. Investing in Care Infrastructure: Public investment in creches, angawadis, and elderly care to reduce the unpaid care burden on women.

2. Promoting Flexible Work: Reforming labour codes to formalize part-time and gig work, ensuring social security benefits.

3. Gender-Focused Skilling: Redirecting resources to digital inclusion and skilling platforms specifically for women.

4. Enhancing Safety and Mobility: Scaling up schemes like Shakti and making urban spaces safer for women.

5. Tax Incentives: Providing targeted incentives for women entrepreneurs and for companies that maintain a higher ratio of women in their workforce.

Conclusion: A Crossroads Moment

The looming U.S. tariffs are a symptom of a larger problem. India's economic resilience hinges on its internal strength. Empowering women economically is the linchpin for utilizing our demographic dividend, boosting export competitiveness, and achieving equitable, sustainable development.

As you prepare for the UPSC, remember that answers are no longer siloed. A question on economic growth (GS III) must be answered with insights from society (GS I) and governance (GS II). This holistic understanding is what will separate a good candidate from a future civil servant.

Think. Analyse. Integrate.

Suryavanshi IAS
Empowering Aspirants, Building the Nation.