In most census operations, questions relating to the economy characteristics of the population are limited to persons above so specified minimum age, usually ten to fifteen years.
It is, therefore useful to calculate the refined labour force participation rate by relating the total labour force only to the population above the specified minimum age.
In this manner, the general labour force participation rate for those in the “working” age groups can be computed.
Sometimes the minimum age as well as the maximum age is both specified for computing this rate. By using the data of the 1991 census of India, the general labour force participation rate for males may be computed as follows:
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The general labour force participation rate of 82.81 for males indicates that, in 1991, nearly 83 males among 100 males in the age group 15-59 were workers.
It may be pointed out here that though, while computing the general labour force participation rate for males, the population of 60 years of age and above was excluded from the numerator as well as the denominator, 60.53 per cent of total male population in the age group of 60 and above was working in 1991.