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In PLFS July 2023 - June 2024, 53.4% of regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss) were not eligible for any of the specified social security benefits (51.8% of men, 58.0% of women), against 53.9% in 2022-23 and 53.0% in 2021-22. By area: 58.8% rural and 49.4% urban. By State the share ranges from 8.9% in Mizoram and 13.8% in Nagaland to 62.7% in Chhattisgarh, 64.1% in Rajasthan and 71.3% in Punjab (Table 36). 39.6% had none of the three: no written contract, no paid leave and no specified social security benefit (Table 36, all-India person). The survey counted only PF/pension, gratuity and health care/maternity benefits; anyone with none of them was classed as not eligible. What these do not show: Population: regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss), July 2023 - June 2024 - not all workers, and not farm workers or the self-employed. The figure is eligibility through the job for the listed benefits only, not actual receipt, and not coverage by other schemes (for example a government health scheme or e-Shram). It says nothing about benefit adequacy. The design of the social security system belongs to the poverty and social protection domain; this entry records only that these workers' jobs carry none of the listed benefits. In plain words: in 2023-24, about 53 of every 100 salaried workers outside agriculture had no pension, gratuity or health/maternity cover through their job. Policy change after the survey period: the Government states that under the Code on Social Security, 2020 (in force since 21 November 2025) all workers including gig and platform workers are to get social security coverage (PIB, 21 Nov 2025). Whether this changes the 2023-24 share has not been measured. Evidence confidence: High that the survey reports this share; adequacy and actual receipt are unknown.
This is the most specific entry on this branch of the catalogue. The evidence behind it is below.
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) treats proprietary and partnership enterprises, which are unincorporated enterprises owned by households, as informal-sector enterprises. In PLFS 2023-24 (July 2023 to June 2024), 73.2% of workers in non-agricultural work (usual status) were engaged in such enterprises: 78.9% in rural areas and 66.2% in urban areas; 76.8% of men and 61.2% of women. The share was 74.3% in 2022-23 and 71.8% in 2021-22. A separate ILO and Institute for Human Development (IHD) report, using PLFS data, puts the informal sector at nearly 82% of the whole workforce and informal employment at nearly 90%. What these do not show: PLFS counts workers by the type of enterprise, so it leaves out informal jobs inside registered firms (the ILO/IHD measure of informal employment is wider) and it covers non-agricultural work only. Enterprise type is not a measure of hardship: an owner and a helper in the same enterprise both count. The figure does not show earnings, hours or whether any law is broken. The 82% and 90% figures are an external estimate with different definitions. The conditions of regular salaried staff are covered in separate entries (written contracts, paid leave, social security). In plain words: most non-farm work in India is done in small, household-owned businesses rather than in companies; the survey cannot say how good or bad those jobs are. Evidence confidence: High for the PLFS shares; the link between informality and poor job quality is shown by the related entries, not by this figure.
In the Periodic Labour Force Survey July 2023 - June 2024, 58.0% of regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss) had no written job contract (58.2% of men, 57.3% of women), against 58.6% in 2022-23 and 62.0% in 2021-22 (Statement 9, rural+urban). By area: 61.1% rural and 55.7% urban. By State the share ranges from 10.0% in Arunachal Pradesh and 11.4% in Mizoram to 71.9% in Gujarat, 77.1% in Rajasthan and 84.5% in Punjab (Table 36). What these do not show: Population: regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss), July 2023 - June 2024 - not all workers, and not farm workers or the self-employed. A written contract is a record of terms, not a measure of pay or security; a worker with no written contract may still be regularly paid, and one with a contract may be on a short fixed term. The survey records contract type only (no contract, or up to 1 year, 1-3 years, over 3 years); it does not say whether the employer is a registered enterprise, which is a separate question from informal sector employment. State figures come from smaller samples and carry sampling error that the report tables do not show. Policy change after the survey period: the Government states that from 21 November 2025 the labour codes require appointment letters for all workers (PIB, 21 Nov 2025). The 2023-24 figure is therefore the baseline before that change; no later survey result on written contracts was found. In plain words: in 2023-24, about 58 of every 100 salaried workers outside agriculture had nothing in writing about their job terms, and in some States the figure was above 70. Evidence confidence: High that the survey reports this share; the survey does not show whether any worker was harmed by the lack of a contract.
In PLFS July 2023 - June 2024, 47.3% of regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss) were not eligible for paid leave (47.8% of men, 45.9% of women), against 46.8% in 2022-23 and 49.2% in 2021-22. By area: 52.2% rural and 43.7% urban. By State the share ranges from 7.8% in Arunachal Pradesh and 11.2% in Mizoram to 59.4% in Bihar and 62.6% in Uttar Pradesh (Table 36). Paid leave here means leave during sickness, maternity or such leave as an employee may take without loss of pay under the conditions of employment; paid weekly off-days and holidays are excluded. What these do not show: Population: regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss), July 2023 - June 2024 - not all workers, and not farm workers or the self-employed. The survey records eligibility under the conditions of employment as reported by the employee; it does not show whether leave was actually taken or refused, or whether the employer breaks any law. Legal leave entitlements differ by State, establishment size and law in force during the survey period. State samples are smaller than the national sample. In plain words: in 2023-24, about 47 of every 100 salaried workers outside agriculture could not take leave without losing pay. Evidence confidence: High that the survey reports this share; the effect on workers is not measured.
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Problem
In PLFS July 2023 - June 2024, 53.4% of regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss) were not eligible for any of the specified social security benefits (51.8% of men, 58.0% of women), against 53.9% in 2022-23 and 53.0% in 2021-22. By area: 58.8% rural and 49.4% urban. By State the share ranges from 8.9% in Mizoram and 13.8% in Nagaland to 62.7% in Chhattisgarh, 64.1% in Rajasthan and 71.3% in Punjab (Table 36). 39.6% had none of the three: no written contract, no paid leave and no specified social security benefit (Table 36, all-India person). The survey counted only PF/pension, gratuity and health care/maternity benefits; anyone with none of them was classed as not eligible. What these do not show: Population: regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss), July 2023 - June 2024 - not all workers, and not farm workers or the self-employed. The figure is eligibility through the job for the listed benefits only, not actual receipt, and not coverage by other schemes (for example a government health scheme or e-Shram). It says nothing about benefit adequacy. The design of the social security system belongs to the poverty and social protection domain; this entry records only that these workers' jobs carry none of the listed benefits. In plain words: in 2023-24, about 53 of every 100 salaried workers outside agriculture had no pension, gratuity or health/maternity cover through their job. Policy change after the survey period: the Government states that under the Code on Social Security, 2020 (in force since 21 November 2025) all workers including gig and platform workers are to get social security coverage (PIB, 21 Nov 2025). Whether this changes the 2023-24 share has not been measured. Evidence confidence: High that the survey reports this share; adequacy and actual receipt are unknown.
This is the most specific entry on this branch of the catalogue. The evidence behind it is below.
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) treats proprietary and partnership enterprises, which are unincorporated enterprises owned by households, as informal-sector enterprises. In PLFS 2023-24 (July 2023 to June 2024), 73.2% of workers in non-agricultural work (usual status) were engaged in such enterprises: 78.9% in rural areas and 66.2% in urban areas; 76.8% of men and 61.2% of women. The share was 74.3% in 2022-23 and 71.8% in 2021-22. A separate ILO and Institute for Human Development (IHD) report, using PLFS data, puts the informal sector at nearly 82% of the whole workforce and informal employment at nearly 90%. What these do not show: PLFS counts workers by the type of enterprise, so it leaves out informal jobs inside registered firms (the ILO/IHD measure of informal employment is wider) and it covers non-agricultural work only. Enterprise type is not a measure of hardship: an owner and a helper in the same enterprise both count. The figure does not show earnings, hours or whether any law is broken. The 82% and 90% figures are an external estimate with different definitions. The conditions of regular salaried staff are covered in separate entries (written contracts, paid leave, social security). In plain words: most non-farm work in India is done in small, household-owned businesses rather than in companies; the survey cannot say how good or bad those jobs are. Evidence confidence: High for the PLFS shares; the link between informality and poor job quality is shown by the related entries, not by this figure.
In the Periodic Labour Force Survey July 2023 - June 2024, 58.0% of regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss) had no written job contract (58.2% of men, 57.3% of women), against 58.6% in 2022-23 and 62.0% in 2021-22 (Statement 9, rural+urban). By area: 61.1% rural and 55.7% urban. By State the share ranges from 10.0% in Arunachal Pradesh and 11.4% in Mizoram to 71.9% in Gujarat, 77.1% in Rajasthan and 84.5% in Punjab (Table 36). What these do not show: Population: regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss), July 2023 - June 2024 - not all workers, and not farm workers or the self-employed. A written contract is a record of terms, not a measure of pay or security; a worker with no written contract may still be regularly paid, and one with a contract may be on a short fixed term. The survey records contract type only (no contract, or up to 1 year, 1-3 years, over 3 years); it does not say whether the employer is a registered enterprise, which is a separate question from informal sector employment. State figures come from smaller samples and carry sampling error that the report tables do not show. Policy change after the survey period: the Government states that from 21 November 2025 the labour codes require appointment letters for all workers (PIB, 21 Nov 2025). The 2023-24 figure is therefore the baseline before that change; no later survey result on written contracts was found. In plain words: in 2023-24, about 58 of every 100 salaried workers outside agriculture had nothing in writing about their job terms, and in some States the figure was above 70. Evidence confidence: High that the survey reports this share; the survey does not show whether any worker was harmed by the lack of a contract.
In PLFS July 2023 - June 2024, 47.3% of regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss) were not eligible for paid leave (47.8% of men, 45.9% of women), against 46.8% in 2022-23 and 49.2% in 2021-22. By area: 52.2% rural and 43.7% urban. By State the share ranges from 7.8% in Arunachal Pradesh and 11.2% in Mizoram to 59.4% in Bihar and 62.6% in Uttar Pradesh (Table 36). Paid leave here means leave during sickness, maternity or such leave as an employee may take without loss of pay under the conditions of employment; paid weekly off-days and holidays are excluded. What these do not show: Population: regular wage/salaried employees in non-agricultural work (usual status ps+ss), July 2023 - June 2024 - not all workers, and not farm workers or the self-employed. The survey records eligibility under the conditions of employment as reported by the employee; it does not show whether leave was actually taken or refused, or whether the employer breaks any law. Legal leave entitlements differ by State, establishment size and law in force during the survey period. State samples are smaller than the national sample. In plain words: in 2023-24, about 47 of every 100 salaried workers outside agriculture could not take leave without losing pay. Evidence confidence: High that the survey reports this share; the effect on workers is not measured.
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