Businesspersons, older legislators dominate India's Assemblies, Lok Sabha

India's legislative assemblies and Lok Sabha show trends of rising educational qualifications, and increased representation of businesspersons, but women's representation remains critically low

In recent times, more people identifying their profession as ‘businesspersons’ are being elected to India’s legislative assemblies. This trend is observed not only in industrialised states such as Maharashtra but also in agrarian ones like Jharkhand. 

India’s legislative assemblies are older than they were a decade ago, with more legislators holding college degrees. The representation of women, however, remains abysmal and may improve only after the 106th Amendment to the Constitution, which reserves a third of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats for women, is implemented. 

In the recently concluded Jharkhand Assembly polls, data compiled by PRS Legislative Research, a public