More is less: Labour force rises but wage growth slows, gender pay gap widens

Labour force participation has increased, but it has resulted in depressed wage growth and a widened gender pay gap. The average wage growth rate for regular salaried employees in urban areas declined from 8.3% to 4.9% in 2022-23. The decline was more pronounced for lower-paying jobs. The gap between male and female earnings at managerial levels increased, and women faced higher job losses during economic downturns.