Shocking Revelation from IIT Bombay: Adolescent Girls Bear 105 Extra Minutes of Daily Chores

A groundbreaking study from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has thrown light on a deeply entrenched issue plaguing India's youth: the disproportionate burden of unpaid domestic labour on adolescent girls. Led by Professor Rama Pal from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, the research analyzes data from over 40,000 adolescents aged 15-19 across the country. It reveals that girls spend an average of 105 minutes more per day on unpaid domestic and care work compared to boys. While nearly 75 percent of girls engage in these activities daily, boys' participation is so minimal it borders on statistical rarity.

This finding challenges the notion that such disparities are confined to low-income households. The study, published in the Journal of Population Research, underscores how even affluent families perpetuate rigid gender roles, with working mothers relying on daughters as substitutes for chores like cooking and cleaning since fathers rarely contribute. For India's higher education landscape, this signals a critical barrier to gender equity, as the lost time hampers girls' holistic development and access to advanced studies.

Unpacking the Data: Insights from India's Time Use Survey 2019

The research draws from the comprehensive Indian Time Use Survey (ITUS) 2019, conducted by the National Statistical Office. This nationwide effort tracked how individuals aged six and above allocate their 24 hours across activities, providing a robust dataset for dissecting adolescent routines. Professor Pal's team focused on the 15-19 age bracket, a pivotal phase for academic preparation and career formation.

Key metrics highlight the scale: girls' daily involvement in tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and caregiving far exceeds boys', creating a 'gender clock' that ticks unevenly. Notably, the study observes no reduction in study hours for girls despite this load – both genders dedicate similar time to education. However, the real casualty is leisure: time for sports, hobbies, socializing, and self-exploration plummets for girls, stunting emotional growth and ambition-building essential for pursuing higher education.

Persistent Across Classes: Why Affluent Families Widen the Gap

Contrary to expectations, economic status does not mitigate the disparity. In wealthier households, where mothers often hold formal jobs with fixed hours, daughters shoulder even heavier loads. 'Affluent families are likely to have more educated women employed in the formal sector,' explains Prof. Pal. 'These work characteristics require greater substitution for domestic work, and wealthy families often enforce strict gender roles.' Boys, meanwhile, enjoy uninterrupted leisure.

Girls from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities face compounded challenges, with higher participation rates due to intersecting socio-economic factors. This pattern raises alarms for India's universities, where SC/ST reservations aim to boost enrollment, but unseen home burdens may deter sustained academic pursuit and higher studies in fields like engineering and sciences – IIT Bombay's own domains.

Leisure Loss: The Hidden Toll on Aspirations and Well-Being

Leisure isn't luxury; it's vital for adolescents. The IIT Bombay analysis shows girls sacrifice hobbies and friendships, activities crucial for building resilience, networks, and career dreams. 'Leisure activities are crucial for leading a healthy life, building friendships, exploring new interests, and developing aspirations and career goals,' notes Prof. Pal. With lower ambitions set early, girls risk future financial dependence, perpetuating cycles that limit entry into competitive higher education programs.

In the context of Indian higher education, this translates to underrepresentation in STEM fields at premier institutes like IITs and NITs. While female enrollment has risen – IIT Bombay reports over 20 percent women in recent BTech batches – the unpaid burden at home subtly undermines long-term retention and success in rigorous programs.

Photo by Arun Sharma on Unsplash

Echoes in Broader Research: UNICEF Corroborates the Crisis

Complementing IIT Bombay's work, a UNICEF Innocenti report using the same ITUS 2019 data paints a grimmer picture for younger adolescents. Rural girls aged 15-17 spend 170 minutes daily on domestic services – nearly double boys' time – rising to 163 minutes overall for 15-17-year-olds. Participation soars to 60 percent for girls versus 16 percent for boys. These chores correlate with 22 percentage points lower learning participation for girls, slashing study time by up to 50 minutes daily and fueling dropout risks.

For higher education, this early drain compounds: fewer girls transition smoothly from school to college, exacerbating India's 28 percent female higher education gross enrollment ratio (GER) versus 32 percent for males, per recent UGC data. Universities must address this pipeline leakage through targeted interventions.Explore the full UNICEF report here.

Cultural Roots and Family Dynamics in India

India's patriarchal norms assign domestic roles to females from childhood, reinforced by family structures. Even in urban, educated homes, boys evade chores, viewing them as 'feminine'. The IIT Bombay study spotlights working mothers' reliance on daughters, not sons, highlighting a failure to redistribute loads. Rural-urban divides amplify this: rural girls bear 170 minutes versus urban's 136, per UNICEF.

This cultural inertia impacts higher ed diversity. IIT Bombay, aiming for gender parity through scholarships covering 60 percent of female BTech students, recognizes that home burdens hinder even meritorious girls from sustaining the grind of JEE preparation and campus life.

Implications for Higher Education Enrollment and Retention

The unpaid burden directly threatens India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 goals of 50 percent GER by 2035 and gender parity. Girls dropping leisure lose soft skills like leadership, crucial for university clubs, internships, and placements – areas where IIT Bombay excels, boasting near-100 percent placement rates.

Case in point: Despite schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, female GER lags. Studies show chore-laden girls have lower STEM aspirations, steering them from elite institutions. Universities like IIT Bombay must advocate for holistic support, integrating life skills training to counter home inequities.Read the full IIT Bombay study paper.

Policy Pathways: NEP Vocational Training as a Game-Changer

Prof. Pal advocates school-based interventions: 'Targeted interventions at early stages, possibly in schools, will act as a catalyst.' NEP's vocational modules, like cooking for all genders, challenge stereotypes. IIT Bombay's push for girl scholarships aligns, aiming 100 percent coverage soon.

• Introduce mandatory shared chores in school curricula.
• Launch awareness campaigns targeting boys and families.
• Expand cash transfers tied to equitable home roles.
• Universities partner with NGOs for adolescent mentoring programs.

Government's Periodic Labour Force Survey shows slight declines in gaps, but adolescent data demands urgency for sustainable higher ed growth.

Photo by Arun Sharma on Unsplash

Stakeholder Perspectives: Voices from Academia and Beyond

Experts echo urgency. Dr. Anupam Sharma, co-author on related work, notes: 'Young people, particularly girls, carry more than schoolbags – the burden of unpaid work affects education continuity.' NGOs like Smile Foundation highlight low-income girls' double shifts, urging policy focus.

IIT Bombay's study positions the institute as a leader in social sciences research, blending economics and policy for real impact. Peers at IIMs and JNU call for longitudinal tracking of chore effects on college outcomes.

Future Outlook: Towards Equitable Futures in Indian Higher Ed

Optimism lies in momentum: NEP reforms, rising female IIT enrollments (IIT Bombay at 20 percent+), and studies like this driving discourse. Yet, without cultural shifts, the 105-minute gap risks widening amid urbanization.

Higher education institutions can lead: IITs offering flexible schedules, counseling on work-life balance, and research grants for gender studies. Collaborative efforts with MoSPI for annual ITUS updates will track progress, ensuring India's daughters claim their rightful place in classrooms and boardrooms.

For educators and policymakers, the message is clear: Address the unpaid clock today for tomorrow's innovators.