India’s manufacturing sector reveals a deeply uneven gender pattern — some industries are overwhelmingly female-driven, while others remain almost entirely male-dominated.
Female Labour-Dominated Industries
At the top of the list sits tobacco manufacturing, where women make up a staggering 93.4% of the workforce, compared to just 6.6% men. This is largely driven by bidi-making, one of India’s most labour-intensive cottage industries.
Apparel manufacturing follows with 64.7% female participation, making it one of the largest formal employers of women in the country. Textiles sit closer to gender parity, with women accounting for 47.9% of workers against 52.1% men.
The Gender Gap Widens Elsewhere
Beyond these three sectors, the numbers shift sharply in favor of male employment:
| Industry | Female Share | Male Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tobacco | 93.4% | 6.6% |
| Apparel | 64.7% | 35.3% |
| Textile | 47.9% | 52.1% |
| Other Manufacturing | 27.0% | 73.0% |
| Chemicals | 26.5% | 73.5% |
| Leather | 26.3% | 73.7% |
| Electronics | 13.8% | 86.2% |
| Electrical Equipment | 11.6% | 88.4% |
| Auto Ancillaries | 9.5% | 90.5% |
| Auto | 7.4% | 92.6% |
| Machinery | 6.8% | 93.2% |
What This Reveals
The data highlights a clear pattern: industries requiring manual, low-wage labour — like tobacco and apparel — employ far more women, while capital-intensive, technically skilled sectors like auto, machinery, and electronics remain heavily male-dominated. Notably, several studies have also found that female-heavy sectors like tobacco and apparel tend to offer significantly lower average wages, raising deeper questions about pay equity within India’s industrial workforce.
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