The jobs gloom

The nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 has had a significant impact on India’s job market, and part of the losses could be enduring. The unemployment rate, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), went up from 7.76 per cent in February to 23.52 per cent in April. The lifting of the lockdown, though partially, resulted in a reversal, and the unemployment rate slipped to 7.43 per cent in July — lower than the level registered in February. The employment condition in rural areas was better than in urban India. The unemployment rate in rural