Q. According to Annual PLFS 2023-24 report :
a) There is greater increase in Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) of rural females as compared to urban females since 2021-22
b) Among the 36 states and union territories, 90% states have a Workforce Participation Rate (WPR) (for all ages) below the national average of 43.7 percent
c) The share of female workers in agriculture has decreased significantly from 2017-18 to 2023-24
d) More than one of the above
Correct Answer : a)
Question from BPSC PT 71, 2025
Correct Answer: a
Explanation:
– Statement (a): True. PLFS 2023-24 shows that since 2021-22 the LFPR of rural females has risen faster than that of urban females. The surge in rural female participation is driven largely by increases in self-employment and unpaid family work in rural areas; urban female LFPR has also improved but by a smaller margin.
– Statement (b): False. It is highly unlikely that “90%” of the 36 states/UTs have a WPR (all ages) below the national average (about 43.7%). Several large states/UTs have WPRs above the national average, so such an extreme skew is not supported by the PLFS distribution across states.
– Statement (c): False. The share of female workers in agriculture has not shown a “significant decrease” from 2017-18 to 2023-24. If anything, women’s employment gains have been concentrated in self-employment including agriculture, so the claim of a sharp fall is not in line with PLFS trends.
Since only (a) is correct, option (d) (“More than one of the above”) is not correct.
