DOI: https://doi.org/10.36344/ccijhss.2026.v12i01.001

Pages: 1-9

Despite economic growth and human development advances, India's gender gap in labor force participation remains large, raising worries about its inclusive development trajectory. This research uses World Development Indicators secondary time-series data to evaluate gender differences in labor force participation in India from 1990 to 2024. The gender gap the disparity between male and female labor force participation rates is analyzed using multiple regression with GDP, birth rate, life expectancy, and inflation. Furthermore, the Bai–Perron structural break test detects substantial labor market developments over time. GDP growth does not considerably lower the gender gap, suggesting that economic development alone cannot increase women's employment participation. Life expectancy decreases the gender gap, showing that health improvements increase gender equality. Conversely, greater fertility rates increase the gender gap since women shoulder more caring and household duties. Inflation narrows the gender gap due to distress-induced female labor supply. Economic disruptions like the global financial crisis and demonetisation disproportionately hurt women's employment, according to structural break research. The results suggest that tailored policies that address institutional, social, and demographic restrictions alongside economic development are needed to reduce the gender gap in labor force participation.