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This research paper examines the determinants of female labour force participation (FLFP) in Kishanganj district, Bihar, based on primary data collected from 400 women respondents aged 15-59 years through structured questionnaire surveys during 2023-2024. Despite Bihar experiencing rapid economic growth of 10-15% annually, female labour force participation remains critically low at 26.0% in Kishanganj district. This empirical analysis employs descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression to identify the key factors influencing participation decisions. The study finds that education (OR=2.15, p<0.01), presence of young children (OR=0.54, p<0.01), household income, and normative gender constraints (OR=0.66, p<0.05) are significant determinants. Participation rises monotonically with education (15.0% among illiterate women to 46.4% among graduates) and peaks in the 25-34 age group (29.1%). The poorest households (monthly income <₹10,000) show the highest participation rate (31.8%), driven by economic necessity. Qualitative analysis reveals that multiple interconnected barriers—social norms (affecting 67.3% of non-participating women), lack of childcare (72.1%), infrastructure gaps (54.8%), and education deficits (61.9%)—constrain participation. The study recommends multi-sectoral policy interventions including sectoral diversification toward secondary and tertiary sectors, childcare infrastructure development, skill training programs, and gradual transformation of restrictive gender norms to unlock economic potential and accelerate inclusive growth in Bihar.
Keywords:
Female labour force participation, Kishanganj district, logistic regression, gender norms, economic determinants, skill development
Cite Article:
"Determinants of Female Labour Force Participation in Bihar: A Micro-Level Study of Kishanganj District", International Journal for Research Trends and Innovation (www.ijrti.org), ISSN:2456-3315, Vol.11, Issue 4, page no.b800-b813, April-2026, Available :http://www.ijrti.org/papers/IJRTI2604249.pdf
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2456-3315 | IMPACT FACTOR: 8.14 Calculated By Google Scholar| ESTD YEAR: 2016
An International Scholarly Open Access Journal, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journal Impact Factor 8.14 Calculate by Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered Research Tool, Multidisciplinary, Monthly, Multilanguage Journal Indexing in All Major Database & Metadata, Citation Generator