Education and women in high-skill occupations in India

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine women’s likelihood of being employed in a high-skill occupation compared to men in India. It also analyses the impact of education on women’s likelihood of entering a high-skill occupation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses data from Periodic Labour Force Survey 2018–19. National Classification of Occupations 2004 is used to classify the occupations in three categories, i.e. high-skill, medium-skill and low-skill. The paper uses ordered probit with Heckman’s sample selection method to estimate the impact of gender identity and education on women’s likelihood of entering high-skill occupations.

Findings

The results show that female workers are more likely to be employed in high-skill occupations than male workers. Formal years of schooling and technical education further improve women’s probability of working in high-skill occupations compared to men. However, an increase in monthly per capita expenditure of the households improves men’s chances of being employed in high-skill occupations in comparison to women. It suggests that gender norms are still relevant.

Originality/value

Studies have found occupational segregation in India with a large share of women being employed in low-wage work. This study examines the issue by focusing on the skill level of occupations. It found that women have a higher likelihood of entering high-skill occupations in India and education is playing an important role in it.

Citation

Ankita and Singh, I. (2024), "Education and women in high-skill occupations in India", Indian Growth and Development Review, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IGDR-09-2023-0136