GS1 · Society

Time Use Survey: women do most unpaid care

25 March 20261 min readWomen & Child

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Battle IAS current affairs title card: Time Use Survey: women do most unpaid care (GS1 · Society, 25 March 2026)

Asked by UPSCMains 2023 (GS3)1 PYQ

UPSC has already asked about this. Read the story with these questions in mind.

Mains 2023 · GS3Distinguish between ‘care economy’ and ‘monetized economy’. How can care economy be brought into monetized economy through women empowerment?See model answer

What happened

TUS 2024: 41% of women and 21.4% of men aged 15-59 did unpaid caregiving for household members [PIB].

Background

In TUS 2019 the figures were 32.8% and 16.2% [PIB].

Why it matters

Both numbers rose; the gap stays wide.

How to use this in Mains

GS-I Role of women; GS-II: welfare of vulnerable sections

As per PIB (2026-03-25): TUS 2024: 41% of women and 21.4% of men aged 15-59 did unpaid caregiving for household members.
Both numbers rose; the gap stays wide.

Quotable data point
TUS 2024: 41% of women and 21.4% of men aged 15-59 did unpaid caregiving for household members.
PIB: Time Use Survey, 25 Mar 2026

Exam angle

UPSC

Prelims: TUS.

Practice MCQs

Original practice questions (not PYQs).

Practice · UPSC

Women in unpaid caregiving (TUS 2024)

Answer (c) & explanation

PIB.

Go deeper

ExplainerWomen Empowerment in India: Meaning, Constitutional Provisions, Laws, Schemes, Key Data, Women’s Reservation Act and Challenges (UPSC Notes + PYQs)

Official source: PIB: Time Use Survey, 25 Mar 2026

facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending