NSS REPORT: TIME USE IN INDIA- 2019 (JANUARY – DECMEBER 2019)

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A. Introduction

Time Use Survey (TUS) provides a framework for measuring time dispositions by the population on different activities. It is an important source of information about the activities that are performed by the population and the time duration for which such activities are performed. One distinguishing feature of Time Use Survey from other household surveys is that it can capture time disposition on different aspects of human activities, be it paid, unpaid or other activities with such details which is not possible in other surveys.

The primary objective of Time Use Survey (TUS) is to measure participation of men and women in paid and unpaid activities. TUS is an important source of information on the time spent in unpaid caregiving activities, volunteer work, unpaid domestic service producing activities of the household members. It also provides information on time spent on learning, socializing, leisure activities, self-care activities, etc., by the household members.

National Statistical Office (NSO) conducted the first Time Use Survey in India during January – December 2019. The survey measures the participation rate and time spent on paid activities, care activities, unpaid activities, etc.

B. Features of the Survey

1. Coverage: This survey covered 1,38,799 households (rural: 82,897 and urban: 55,902). Information on time use was collected from each member of age 6 years and above of the selected households. This survey enumerated 4,47,250 persons of age 6 years and above (rural: 2,73,195 and urban:1,74,055).

2. Data collection: In this survey data on time use was collected through personal interview method. Information on time use was collected covering a period of 24 hours starting from 4:00 A.M. on the day before the date of interview to 4:00 A.M. on the day of interview

3. Presentation of the estimates: The results have been presented here considering all the activities in the time slots instead of considering only the major activity.However the Report on Time Use in India-2019 alsocontains estimates considering only the major activities in the time slots. The results are presented for persons of age 6 years and above. The key indicators of time use survey arecalculated as follows:

  • Participation rate in a day in any activity is calculated as the percentage of persons performing that activity during the day.

 

  • Average time spent in a day per participant for any activity is calculated by considering those who participated in the activity. Estimates of average time in a day in different activities derived by considering only the participants in the activities are referred to asaverage time spent in a day per participant.

 

  • Average time spent in a day per person for any activity is calculated by considering all the persons irrespective of whether they participated in the activity or not. By this approach, distribution of total time of 1440 minutes of a day per person in different activities is derived.

 

  1. The key findings of the survey are given in the statements annexed while the report and the unit level data both are accessible at https://mospi.gov.in.

Annexure

Key Findings of the Survey

 

Table 1: Percentage of persons of age 6 years and above participating in different activities in a day

all-India
Description of the activity rural urban rural+urban
male female person male female person male female person
Employment and related activities 56.1 19.2 37.9 59.8 16.7 38.9 57.3 18.4 38.2
Production of goods for own final use 19.1 25.0 22.0 3.4 8.3 5.8 14.3 20.0 17.1
Unpaid domestic services for household members 27.7 82.1 54.6 22.6 79.2 50.1 26.1 81.2 53.2
Unpaid caregiving services for household members 14.4 28.2 21.2 13.2 26.3 19.5 14.0 27.6 20.7
Unpaid volunteer, trainee and other unpaid work 2.8 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.2 2.3 2.7 2.0 2.4
Learning 24.1 19.4 21.8 23.3 20.7 22.0 23.9 19.8 21.9
Socializing and communication, community participation and religious practice 91.7 91.2 91.5 90.6 91.4 91.0 91.4 91.3 91.3
Culture, leisure, mass-media and sports practices 87.0 82.2 84.6 92.1 92.7 92.4 88.5 85.3 86.9
Self-care and maintenance 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: The estimates have been calculated considering all the activities in a time slot

 

Table 2: Average time (in minutes) spent in a day per participant of age 6 years and above in different activities

all-India
Description of the activity rural urban rural+urban
male female person male female person male female person
Employment and related activities 434 317 404 514 375 485 459 333 429
Production of goods for own final use 203 123 158 134 64 85 198 116 151
Unpaid domestic services for household members 98 301 249 94 293 247 97 299 248
Unpaid caregiving services for household members 77 132 113 75 138 116 76 134 114
Unpaid volunteer, trainee and other unpaid work 99 98 98 111 101 106 102 99 101
Learning 422 422 422 435 425 430 426 423 424
Socializing and communication, community participation and religious practice 151 139 145 138 138 138 147 139 143
Culture, leisure, mass-media and sports practices 162 157 159 171 181 176 164 165 165
Self-care and maintenance 737 724 731 711 720 715 729 723 726
Note: The estimates have been calculated considering all the activities in a time slot

 

Table 3: Percentage share of total time in different activities in a day per person of age 6 years and above

 

all-India
Description of the activity rural urban rural+urban
male female person male female person male female person
Employment and related activities 16.9 4.2 10.6 21.3 4.3 13.1 18.3 4.2 11.4
Production of goods for own final use 2.7 2.2 2.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 1.9 1.6 1.8
Unpaid domestic services for household members 1.9 17.2 9.4 1.5 16.1 8.6 1.7 16.9 9.2
Unpaid caregiving services for household members 0.8 2.6 1.7 0.7 2.5 1.6 0.8 2.6 1.7
Unpaid volunteer, trainee and other unpaid work 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1
Learning 7.1 5.7 6.4 7.0 6.1 6.6 7.1 5.8 6.5
Socializing and communication, community participation and religious practice 9.6 8.8 9.2 8.7 8.8 8.8 9.3 8.8 9.0
Culture, leisure, mass-media and sports practices 9.7 9.0 9.4 10.9 11.7 11.3 10.1 9.8 9.9
Self-care and maintenance 51.2 50.3 50.8 49.4 50.0 49.7 50.6 50.2 50.4
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Note: (i) The estimates have been calculated considering all the activities in a time slot

(ii) Figures may not add up to 100 due to rounding