Development, Education, and Female Labour Force Participation; A Study of India

Abstract: With the development and structural transformation of an economy the dynamics of labour force participation change. The female experience of development and labour force participation is different to that of the male. Different levels of development and educational attainment, compounded by social expectations, correspond differently in effecting the likelihood for a woman to participate in the labour force. Indian economic expansion is a prevalent example of decreasing female labour force participation despite structural transformation and a greater number of women becoming highly educated. Using micro-level data and a logit regression model, this study investigates the non-linear relationship between female labour force participation, and educational attainment. This study considers other social and cultural factors, like caste, which also effect the decision to participate in the labour force or not. By doing so, this study contributes to the discussion of the determinants of female labour force participation.