Do it yourself

A few months ago, two reputable Indian corporate leaders opined that Indian youth should work harder and longer. Their opinion triggered an intense debate on social media, about the need for work-life balance and how Indian businesses neglect this important aspect of social-economic development.

In this context, it is pertinent to note the outcome of the latest “The Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024, conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO)”. The survey highlights that these corporate leaders were speaking from their vast experience, and the critics are perhaps oblivious of the ground realities.

The Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024 provides a detailed picture of how Indians allocate their 24 hours among different types of activities. The primary objective of the survey is to measure unpaid work, gender participation, and time distribution between paid, unpaid, and personal activities to make an informed assessment of labour participation, care work, and alignment with sustainable development goals (SGD) of Gender Equality a Decent Work.

The key findings of the survey are listed below:

Average Daily Time Allocation (All Persons, 6+ years)

·         Personal care and self-maintenance: ~11 hours/day

·         Employment and related activities: ~3 hours/day (urban > rural)

·         Unpaid domestic and care work: ~4.5 hours/day

·         Learning, social, leisure, and community activities: ~5.5 hours/day

Gender Differentials

Men: Spend ~6 hours/day in paid work and only ~1 hour in unpaid household work.

Women: Spend ~1.5 hours/day in paid work and ~6.5 hours in unpaid domestic and care work.

Women’s contribution to unpaid work remains three to four times that of men.

Time spent in employment is higher in urban males; unpaid household work dominates female time use, particularly in rural areas.

Rural–Urban Patterns

Rural workers devote more time to primary and secondary activities like agriculture and livestock.

Urban individuals spend more time in education, paid employment, and social/leisure activities.

Time in unpaid household and care work is higher in rural areas due to limited infrastructure and service access.

Age-Wise Patterns

·         Children (6–14 years): Primarily engaged in learning and play.

·         Youth (15–29 years): More time on education and job search.

·         Adults (30–59 years): Highest participation in paid and unpaid work.

·         Elderly (60+ years): More time on personal care, social, and community activities.

There has been no material difference in the past five years (2019-2024) in the pattern of time spent on employment

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Unpaid Work and Care Economy

·         The unpaid work economy remains female-driven, accounting for nearly 80% of total unpaid care hours in India.

·         Recognition of this work is vital for valuing women’s economic contribution and designing gender-sensitive policies.

Comparisons with 2019 Time Use Survey

·         Slight increase in paid work time for both genders, especially in urban areas.

·         Unpaid work hours for women show marginal decline but remain substantial.

·         Use of digital and online activities increased, especially for education and entertainment.

·         Improved participation in community and volunteer work post-pandemic.

Some interesting findings of the survey are:

·         Male commuters (for employment related activities) in the age group 15–59 years, spent 77 minutes on average in a day in commuting compared to 67 minutes spent by their female counterparts.

·         Children in the age group 6–14 years, spent 61 minutes in extracurricular activities while participating in such activities. Younger participants in the age group 15–29 years spent 74 minutes in a day on an average in extracurricular activities.

·         About 14.8% male and 3.9% females in the age group 15–29 years participated in sports and exercise activities during a day spending 64 minutes and 46 minutes respectively on an average. Children aged 6–14 years participating in sports and exercise activities spent an average of 83 minutes and 68 minutes in rural and urban areas respectively.

·         87.4% of younger people in the age group 15–29 years in urban areas and 73.4% in rural areas reported to have used mass media in a day. They spent 126 minutes and 116 minutes respectively in using mass media.

·         People aged 6 years and above spent about 89 minutes in a day while taking care of their dependent adult household members. Male participants spent 85 minutes while female participants spent 91 minutes on an average in such caring activities.

·         Rural people aged 6 years and above, spent about 123 minutes in a day in socializing and communication compared to 110 minutes spent by their urban counterparts. Male participants spent 121 minutes in a day compared to 117 minutes spent by female participants.

·         About 71.6% of rural children and 68.8% of urban children aged 6–14 years reported to have participated in learning activities related to formal education in the reference day, spending about 312 minutes in a day in each of the categories. Younger participants (aged 15–29 years) in learning activities related to formal education spent around 308 minutes in a day on average.

·         76.3% females participated in activities of food and meals management and preparation, spending about 209 minutes in the day. Male participation in such activity was 6.2% spending about 87 minutes in a day.

·         Activities related to childcare and instruction for one's own household in the reference day were reported by 32.8% females and 17% males. Time spent by the participants in such activities was 136 minutes and 73 minutes for females and male respectively.