Labour Market

Datanomics: Formal labour tag hides reality of industrial workers in India

Millions of them don't have clear job contracts and safety benefits

EPFO, ESI overhaul required to unlock India's formal jobs potential

The EPFO and ESI have resisted radical reinvention since 1991, illustrating how self-interested bureaucracies preserve their own interests by creating improbable scenarios of chaos

India's high minimum wages cause large informal workforce: Report

A report says India's minimum wage structure may be pushing workers into informality, with 64% earning below the legal floor and labour-intensive sectors lagging peers

Labour market friction: India needs more jobs with better work conditions

Workers allege irregular wage payments and exploitative practices

Gauging disruption: AI studies highlight labour-market inequality

If entry-level roles shrink because of AI, the pathway for skill accumulation itself may be disrupted

MGNREGA work dips to 53.2 million households in FY26, lowest in six years

In FY25, around 57.8 million households got work under the scheme

Indian-origin Mangala Kuppa appointed as CIO of US labour department

Indian-origin technology leader Mangala Kuppa has been appointed the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the US Department of Labour, formalising her role after serving in an acting capacity since October last year. Kuppa, who also serves as the department's Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, was appointed earlier this month. She will continue to oversee information technology strategy, digital transformation and AI adoption across the agency. In a LinkedIn post confirming her appointment, Kuppa said she was "grateful for the opportunity to keep serving and making a difference". A seasoned technology executive with over 25 years of experience, Kuppa has played a key role in advancing the department's modernisation agenda, including development of enterprise AI strategy, expansion of data platforms and strengthening cybersecurity systems. She joined the Labour Department in 2010 and has since held several senior positions, including Chief Technology Officer and Director of Busine

More graduates but fewer jobs: India's youth faces a harsh reality

Between 2004 and 2023, 5 million graduates were added annually, but only 2.8 million found jobs; just 7% of unemployed graduates secure permanent salaried roles within a year

Russia turns to India for workers as Ukraine war deepens labour shortage

In 2021, 5,000 work permits were approved for Indian nationals but last year, almost 72,000 permits were okayed for Indians

Share of flexi workers rose to 70% from 20% in 5 years, says report

The share of flexi workers in India's workforce rose sharply to 70 per cent in 2025 from 20 per cent in 2020, while the proportion of permanent workers declined, an ISF report said

India's joblessness falls to three-quarter low of 4.8% in Q3 FY26

India's unemployment rate eased to a three-quarter low of 4.8% in Q3FY26, helped by higher labour force participation and a decline in youth joblessness, latest PLFS data showed

Russia turns to India, Sri Lanka to tackle labour shortage amid crisis

The total number of work permits given to foreigners rose to more than 240,000 in 2025, the highest since at least 2017, statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs show

India-US trade deal positive for labour-intensive sectors : Moody's

Moody's Ratings on Tuesday said the reduction of the US tariff rate on most Indian goods is credit positive for labour-intensive sectors such as gems, jewellery, textiles and apparel, which are the top export sectors. India and the US have agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will bring down reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from current 25 per cent, US President Donald Trump said on Monday after a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Moody's in a statement said the trade deal will reinvigorate India's goods export growth to the US, which remains the country's largest goods export market, accounting for about 21 per cent of India's total goods exports for the first 11 months of 2025. "Lower tariff rate will also be credit positive for labour-intensive sectors such as gems, jewellery, textiles and apparel, which rank the top export sectors," it said. However, pharmaceuticals and consumer electronics, the other two major export sectors, had be

Donald Trump nominates BLS economist Brett Matsumoto to head agency

Matsumoto, who has a PhD in economics, arrived at BLS in 2015 and works within the Division of Price and Index Number Research

Statsguru: 'Gigification' of Indian economy and the future of work

What is often framed as flexible employment increasingly resembles regular work, raising questions around hours, pay and working conditions

States can draft labour code rules at their pace if aligned with new laws

Reportedly, the centre is in works to come up with the rules under the new codes by the first week of December, following which there will be a 45 day window for stakeholder consultations

Unemployment rate unchanged at 5.2% in October, shows PLFS data

The jobless rate in rural areas fell to 4.4 per cent from 4.6 per cent during this period

India's joblessness slowed to 5.2% in Q2 FY26, shows PLFS data

Unemployment rate in rural areas fell to 4.4%

Retail inflation for farm and rural workers shows easing in September

Retail inflation for farm and rural workers eased to -0.07 per cent and 0.31 per cent, respectively, in September from 1.07 per cent and 1.26 per cent in August, respectively, according to the Labour Ministry data released on Saturday. For the month of September 2025, the All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers decreased by 0.11 points to 136.23, while the index for Rural Labourers decreased by 0.18 points, reaching 136.42, the labour ministry said. The CPI-AL and CPI-RL were 136.34 points and 136.60 points, respectively, in August 2025. The Food Index decreased by 0.47 points for Agricultural Labourers (AL) and 0.58 points for Rural Labourers (RL) in September 2025. Food inflation in September 2025 stood at -2.35 per cent for AL and -1.81 per cent for RL," the ministry stated. These indices are based on data collected from a set of 787 sample villages across 34 States/UTs.

India's jobless rate at 4-month low of 5.1% in August, shows PLFS data

The headline unemployment rate for people of age 15 and above in the current weekly status (CWS) terms for rural areas fell further to 4.3 per cent in August