According to census – 2011, what was the work participation rate in India and Rajasthan respectively?

Correct — option (2), 39.8% and 43.6%.

The stem asks for India first, then Rajasthan.

India: the Census 2011 Primary Census Abstract highlights say “The Work Participation Rate (WPR) for the country works out to 39.8 per cent.”

Rajasthan: the key indicators table in Rajasthan's Economic Review 2020-21 gives the Work Participation Rate for 2011 as 43.6 per cent for Rajasthan, beside 39.8 per cent for India.

In that order, India then Rajasthan, the pair is 39.8% and 43.6%.

The idea to remember: Census 2011 work participation rate: Rajasthan 43.6 per cent, above India's 39.8 per cent.

Why the others are wrong

• (1)
  43.6% and 41.8% — This puts 43.6 per cent in India's place. 43.6 per cent is Rajasthan's 2011 rate; India's is 39.8 per cent.

  The second figure, 41.8 per cent, is not Rajasthan's rate in the Economic Review's table.

• (3)
  42.4% and 41.8% — Neither figure matches Census 2011 as reported: India 39.8 per cent and Rajasthan 43.6 per cent.

  This pair also shows Rajasthan below India, while the Economic Review's table shows it above.

• (4)
  39.8% and 36.4% — The first figure, India's 39.8 per cent, is right. The second is not: the Economic Review 2020-21 gives Rajasthan's 2011 rate as 43.6 per cent, higher than India's, not lower.

The work participation rate is the share of the population that is working, expressed as workers per 100 people. Census 2011 counts as a worker anyone who worked for at least one day during the reference year.

India's rate rose marginally from 39.1 per cent in 2001 to 39.8 per cent in 2011, according to the Census highlights. The male rate rose from 51.7 to 53.3 per cent, while the female rate slipped from 25.6 to 25.5 per cent.

Rates differ across States and UTs: the highlights name Himachal Pradesh highest at 51.9 per cent and Lakshadweep lowest at 29.1 per cent.

Key facts

• Census 2011: work participation rate for India 39.8 per cent (39.1 per cent in 2001).
• Census 2011, India: male WPR 53.3 per cent, female WPR 25.5 per cent.
• Economic Review 2020-21: Rajasthan's work participation rate in 2011 was 43.6 per cent.
• Census 2011: Himachal Pradesh ranked first in WPR for total workers (51.9 per cent) and female workers (44.8 per cent).
• Census 2011: India had 481.7 million workers, of whom 331.9 million were males and 149.9 million females.

Common traps

• Swapping the order: the stem asks India first, then Rajasthan, so 39.8 comes before 43.6.
• Assuming Rajasthan trails India on every indicator: it is lower on literacy and urban share but higher on work participation.
• Mixing total, male and female rates: India's 39.8 per cent is the total; 53.3 is the male and 25.5 the female rate.

UnlockIAS will link similar questions from RAS Pre 2018 and 2016 here once those papers are published on this site.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  According to Census 2011, the work participation rate of females in India was

  • (a)25.5 per cent
  • (b)53.3 per cent
  • (c)39.8 per cent
  • (d)44.8 per cent
  Answer(1) — The Census 2011 highlights give 25.5 per cent for females. Option (2) is the male rate, option (3) the total rate, and option (4) the female rate of Himachal Pradesh.
• practice — not a real PYQ

  As per Census 2011, which State/UT ranked first in work participation rate for total workers?

  • (a)Himachal Pradesh
  • (b)Rajasthan
  • (c)Daman & Diu
  • (d)Lakshadweep
  Answer(1) — Himachal Pradesh ranks first at 51.9 per cent. Option (2) Rajasthan's rate is 43.6 per cent; option (3) had the highest male rate, 71.5 per cent; option (4) had the lowest total rate, 29.1 per cent.