This paper undertakes a detailed exercise of identifying the occupations in which women are employed, finding some gradual shifts that are interesting especially in urban areas. However, most of the gender stereotypes continue to prevail with bulk of the women involved in occupations such as maids, farmers, bidi makers, nurses, primary school teachers, and so on. The newer occupational avenues of computing machine operators; transport conductors and guards; village officials; elected and legislative officials; engineering technicians; scientific, medical and technical persons; other professional workers not elsewhere classified are among those which have had a higher growth rate over the period under consideration.

Since more women are likely to enter the labour force in the years to come, measures to ease the double burden of work, with efforts to provide basic amenities and support services for their overwhelming domestic responsibilities, need to be put in place. Gender dimensions of work necessarily require policy attention.