Economic Scrutiny of Structural Change and Occupational Diversification in India – A Look at Post-Reform Period

Abstract

Expansion and creation of employment opportunities have been the unstated objectives being followed since the early 1990s in India. After the emergence of new economic reforms, economic development has shown a growing trend, but employment growth during the period from 2012 - 2019 has drastically fallen in absolute numbers after the marginal improvement during the commencement of economic reforms. The people are moving towards low-productivity sectors and shoddier the quality of employment. The present study examines the recent trends of structural changes in economic development and occupational diversification in India and tries to identify the outcome and ineptitude of the ongoing vicious pattern of economic development and employment. The paper argues that the structural changes are bounded to output level only, there is no transformation of labours between the sectors that lead to more unemployment. The increasing share of unemployment having the intermediate and advanced education led to the increase of employment in the informal sector for their livelihood. India's inclusive growth will be impossible to achieve unless the informal sector's share of total employment does not reduce