Kolkata, Jan. 28 -- Nobel laureate economist Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee has flagged a troubling paradox in India's growth story, even as more women than ever are getting educated, fewer of them are working.
"There are more educated women now who are not working than there were 15 years ago," Banerjee said, calling it one of the most worrying gaps in India's development story.
Banerjee, speaking at the Exide Kolkata Literary Meet 2026, said the drop in women's participation is closely tied to patriarchal thinking that seeks to regulate women's movement and behaviour. He stressed that as families become richer, they often impose even more restrictions on women's lives, rather than allowing them greater independence.
"In Bangladesh, many more...