Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has released results of Time Use Survey 2024 (January-December 2024) to provide a framework for measuring time dispositions by the population on different activities
What is Time Use Survey (TUS)?
- It is a crucial statistical tool that measures how individuals allocate their time to different daily activities.
- Objective: It aims to assess the participation of men and women in paid and unpaid activities, including caregiving, domestic work, volunteer work, learning, leisure, and self-care.
- Conducted by: National Statistical Office (NSO). The first all-India TUS was conducted in 2019, and the latest TUS 2024 was conducted between January – December 2024.
- It provides valuable insights into time spent on paid, unpaid, and other human activities, distinguishing it from traditional household surveys.
- NOTE: India is among a select group of countries, including Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, the USA, and China, that conduct National Time Use Surveys.
Key Highlights of Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024
Employment and Related Activities (Age Group: 15-59 Years)
- 75% of males and 25% of females participated in employment-related activities in 2024, compared to 70.9% of males and 21.8% of females in 2019, during the reference period of 24 hours.
- This signifies a gradual increase in women’s workforce participation.
Unpaid Domestic Services (Females Aged 15-59 Years)
- Time spent on unpaid domestic services by females declined from 315 minutes per day in 2019 to 305 minutes per day in 2024.
- This shift indicates an increasing transition of women from unpaid domestic work to paid employment.
Caregiving Responsibilities
- 41% of females participated in caregiving for household members, compared to 21.4% of males in the 15-59 years age group.
- On average, females spent 140 minutes per day, while males spent 74 minutes on caregiving.
- This trend highlights the gender disparity in caregiving responsibilities, deeply rooted in India’s social structure.
Production of Goods for Own Use (Rural Population, Age Group: 15-59 Years)
- 24.6% of rural residents engaged in producing goods for their final use, spending 121 minutes per day on such activities.
Learning Activities (Children Aged 6-14 Years)
- 89.3% of children participated in learning activities.
- They spent an average of 413 minutes per day on education and related tasks.
Culture, Leisure, Mass Media, and Sports Activities
- People aged 6 years and above spent 11% of their daily time on culture, leisure, mass media, and sports in 2024, compared to 9.9% in 2019.
- This increase suggests a greater inclination towards entertainment and recreational activities.
Self-Care and Maintenance Activities (Age Group: 6 Years and Above)
- On average, individuals spent 708 minutes per day on self-care and maintenance.
- Males spent 710 minutes, while females spent 706 minutes on such activities.