Impacts of Development on Age and Gender Groups

Why growth affects people differently

Economic development involves more than producing and earning more: it can improve people's access to education, healthcare and paid work. Globalisation connects an economy to overseas customers, businesses and investment. In India, investment by transnational corporations (TNCs) has helped expand manufacturing and services, creating employment and opportunities to learn new skills.

However, a growing economy does not benefit everyone equally. A young adult with the skills needed by an expanding business may gain a better-paid job. A child in a poor rural household or an older person living far from improved services may experience much less benefit. Age, gender, education and location influence people's ability to take advantage of growth.

Women gain opportunities, but inequality remains

In India, more women have gained access to education, paid work and careers. Education improves literacy and skills, making women more employable. Earning an income can give women greater financial independence and more influence over decisions within their households. These changes can reduce inequalities between women and men.

Improved access to contraception and family planning also gives women greater control over whether and when to have children. Together with education and employment, this can make it easier to pursue a career.

Nevertheless, progress towards equality is incomplete. Female literacy remains lower than male literacy in India. Women without the necessary education may therefore be less able to access skilled jobs created by economic growth and globalisation. New opportunities do not automatically remove existing disadvantages.

Men can also benefit from expanding employment and rising incomes. The important distinction is between growth in opportunities overall and equality of access: both women and men may gain, while a gender gap persists.

Children: better services versus pressure to work

Development can improve children's health through better diets, healthcare and access to clean water. Increased investment in education also creates opportunities for children to develop skills for their future working lives. Primary education became free in India in 2009, and a National Education Policy launched in 2020 aimed to improve education and equality.

However, children in rural India are more likely to work. Work can interfere with school attendance, limiting the qualifications and skills they gain. This can make it harder for them to access better-paid employment later. The benefit of improved education is therefore smaller for children who cannot fully participate in it.

This contrast shows why an improvement in national services is not the same as an improvement experienced equally by every child.

Young adults: new jobs, but no guarantee of employment

Growing manufacturing and service industries offer young adults employment, training and the possibility of higher incomes. India's skilled, relatively low-cost and English-speaking workforce has attracted TNCs. Young people with relevant education and skills are well placed to take advantage of these opportunities.

Many younger adults move from rural areas to cities seeking work. Yet the number arriving can exceed the number of available jobs, leaving some unemployed. Those unable to afford adequate housing may live in informal settlements with poor-quality housing and limited clean water, increasing the risk of disease.

Migration can therefore bring opportunity without guaranteeing a better standard of living. The outcome depends partly on whether jobs, housing and services expand fast enough.

Older people: improved health, but reduced support

Health has improved across age groups in India as healthcare, diets and water access have improved. Life expectancy rose from 45 years in 1960 to 70 years in 2021, illustrating the wider improvement in survival associated with development.

However, the migration of younger adults can leave older relatives behind in rural areas. They may have fewer family members nearby to provide care and practical help. Lower investment in rural areas can also limit their access to improved services. Older people may therefore benefit from national health improvements while still facing isolation and inadequate support locally.

Judging the overall impact

Economic development and globalisation have increased incomes, improved health and widened opportunities in India. Their benefits are particularly accessible to people who have the skills and access to services needed to participate in the growing economy.

The gains are less secure for rural children whose work limits schooling, young adults who cannot find employment, older people left behind by migration and women who still face educational disadvantages. Overall, development has improved many lives, but its success should be judged by how widely those improvements are shared—not simply by growth in average income.