The economic data available from the Census of 1981 has given rise to two diametrically opposite views on the change in the structure of employment. Even when the shift away from agriculture is granted doubts are expressed regarding the nature of change. This paper examines the sectoral change at more disaggregated levels and relates the census data on employment to net domestic product and concludes that the shift in employment away from agriculture is likely to have benefited all except four per cent of the male and all but 12 per cent of the main workers of both sexes in 1981.