Introduction

In recent years, female labour force participation in India has witnessed an upward trend, especially in urban areas. However, a closer look reveals a paradox—women’s participation in unpaid household work has also increased, signifying a persistent gender division of labour in domestic spaces. This duality reflects what sociologists call the “double burden” or “second shift”, where women are expected to balance both paid and unpaid work.

Examples & Case Studies

Urban Working Women in IT sectors in Bangalore or Hyderabad who face burnout due to double burden.

Northeast India (e.g., Meghalaya and Mizoram) shows better male participation in domestic work due to matrilineal culture.

What Does the Data Show?

• A growing number of urban women are entering paid employment, particularly in sectors like IT, education, healthcare, and services.

• Simultaneously, the proportion of these working women continuing to do unpaid domestic chores—cooking, cleaning, and caregiving—has also increased.

• Even though urban men are contributing more to household work, the gap remains significant, especially when compared across Indian states.

Sociological Perspective on Gendered Division of Labour

1. The “Second Shift”: Arlie Hochschild’s seminal work explains how employed women still handle most household duties after their paid job ends, leading to stress, fatigue, and role conflict.

2. Public and Private Patriarchy: Sylvia Walby identifies private patriarchy (within households) and public patriarchy (in workplaces), both of which systematically disadvantage women.

In India, both forms coexist, reinforcing traditional gender roles and restricting the redistribution of domestic responsibilities.

3. Gender Role Socialization: Ann Oakley argues that household work is ideologically constructed as a woman’s responsibility due to patriarchal socialization from a young age.

Policy & Governance Angle

Mission Shakti, Mahila Shakti Kendra, and Gender Budgeting aim to empower women but fall short in addressing unpaid work.

Implications for Indian Society

• Women’s empowerment remains incomplete without redistribution of unpaid work.

• The lack of institutional mechanisms like affordable childcare or elderly support systems further intensifies the pressure on working women.

• This imbalance leads to career stagnation, mental health issues, and often withdrawal from paid work.

What Can Be Done? 

• Recognize, Reduce, and Redistribute (UN Women Framework)

1. Recognize unpaid care work as economically valuable.
2. Reduce through time-saving technologies and services.
3. Redistribute between men and women, and between families and the state.

• Policy-Level Interventions

1. Promote paternity leave and gender-neutral parental leave.
2. Make crèches and eldercare facilities mandatory at workplaces.
3. Use gender budgeting to allocate resources for care infrastructure.

• Sociocultural Change

1. Encourage gender-sensitive education and role modeling by men.
2. Showcase examples from matrilineal societies as progressive alternatives.

Conclusion

While more Indian women are joining the paid workforce, their share in unpaid household work remains disproportionately high. The persistence of patriarchal norms continues to deny them true equality. Their burden of unpaid domestic work remains high. This highlights the unfinished agenda of gender equality, requiring not just policy changes but a shift in societal attitudes and family dynamics.

PYQs 

Paper I

• “Discuss the relevance of patriarchy in contemporary Indian society.” 2023

• “Explain how patriarchy shapes the division of labour within the household.” 2020

• “Evaluate the concept of ‘second shift’ in the context of working women.” 2017

• “Critically examine the transformation of the institution of family in the context of working women.” 2022

• “Explain the concept of ‘role conflict’ in working women’s life.” 2016

• “Explain how industrialization and urbanization have impacted the traditional family structure.” 2013

Paper II 

• “Explain the relationship between gender and unpaid work in India with suitable examples.” 2021

• “Examine the impact of women’s increasing participation in paid work on family and gender roles.” 2020

• “Critically examine the feminization of labour in urban India.” 2018

• “Assess the role of the Indian state in addressing gender inequalities in the labour market.” 2017

• “Discuss how the informal sector has both empowered and exploited women workers.” 2015

• “Discuss the social consequences of migration of women for employment in urban areas.” 2022

• “Examine the changing nature of gender roles in urban India.” 2019

• “What is the impact of globalization on the status of women in India?” 2016

• “Comment on the ‘invisible labour’ of women in rural and urban India.” 2014