Majority of Indian youth spend 2 hours on mass media: MoSPI report

In the 15-59 age group, 79% of men and 66% women used mass media.

Indian youth are spending two hours every day on leisure activities like mass media, which includes the use of social media platforms, according to a report released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

In 2024, 84.7 percent of Indian men in the 15-29 age group and 71 percent of women in the category used mass media, with each spending 120 minutes a day on the activity.

In the 15-59 age group, 79 percent of men and 66 percent of women used mass media, but women tended to be spending longer hours than men.

Women spent less time (344 minutes) than men (480 minutes) on employment and significantly more (305 minutes) than men (86 minutes) on unpaid domestic household work.

There was more parity on the use of mass media in the 6-14 age group, with younger generation having less of a gender divide.

“Increased participation and day’s time spent in culture, leisure and mass media related activities among the working age population, showing a more balance between committed and leisure time,” the ministry said.

The usage among the children was a high 70 percent though, with women spending more time at 109 minutes than men at 108 minutes.

The participation in paid activities has increased for both men and women in 2024 compared with five years ago. Moreover, rural areas have seen a faster move to paid work than urban centres, according to ministry survey.

The number of women in unpaid work has not declined significantly, but male participation in unpaid work has increased. In 2024, 45.8 percent of men were involved in unpaid work.

Use of mass media and leisure activities during off days, ie holidays, weekly offs, was double that during normal days.