In 2019-20, Urban India accounted for 32 per cent of the total employment. However, in 2020-21, till December 2020, it accounted for 34 per cent of the total loss of employment. Notedly, urban India, known for providing better job opportunities, with its current greater share in the loss does not speak very well for the recovery process.

Women accounted for 11 per cent in total employment but 52 per cent of the job losses. India’s growth acceleration, at least much of it, depends upon the increased participation of women. Sadly, they still are bearing an unjust and unfair high proportion of the cost of economic storms. They faced a huge loss in employment during the demonetisation drive and currently, during the lockdown, they face similar challenges.

Secondly, it was noted that job losses hugely concentrated among younger workers. People below the age of 40 faced a fall in employment till December 2020 this year and people over the age of 40 saw a small gain in employment.

Where the country's working-age population is higher in numbers at the lower end of the age distribution, its workforce does not project in the same way. Of the total working-age workers 14 per cent is between 15 and 19 years of age with one 1 per cent falls in this bracket as they mostly studying. Where 20 per cent of the working-age employees are in their twenties, they only account for 19 per cent of all the employed persons. The worst part is that these 20-something employees accounted for 80 per cent of the job loss in the end months of the last year.

Moreover, 17 per cent of the working-age population are in their 30s and account for 23 per cent of the entire workforce. And the lockdown has was tough for people in their 30s who accounted for 48 per cent of jobs loss till December 2020.

On the other hand, the workforce in India in the age group over 40 years increased to 60 per cent by December 2020 from the earlier share of 56 per cent in 2019-20. Where graduates and post-graduates are concerned, they faced a job loss to the tune of 65 per cent and the 14.7 million jobs lost, 9.5 million were those of graduates and post-graduates.