Unemployment In India

India's unemployment to tick up, inflation to rise in 2026: Moody's

Moody's Analytics projects India's unemployment rate to edge up to 7 per cent in 2026, while inflation may rise to 4.5 per cent, the highest among Asia-Pacific peers

Weekly economy wrap: Inflation uptick, monsoon fears weigh on outlook

Economy wrap April 13-19: Rising fuel-led inflation, job market stress and West Asia risks cloud near-term outlook even as government attempts to sustain growth momentum

India's unemployment rate rises to 5.1% in March, led by urban centres

The unemployment rate (UR) for individuals aged 15 and older rose slightly to 5.1 per cent in March from 4.9 per cent in February this year, mainly due to high joblessness in urban areas, according to government data released on Wednesday. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), is the primary source of data on activity participation, employment and unemployment conditions of the population. The PLFS survey methodology has been modified from January 2025 to provide monthly and quarterly estimates of labour force indicators for the country. The Monthly Bulletins for April 2025 to February 2026 have already been released. The present Monthly Bulletin for March 2026 is the twelfth in the series. A statement on the PLFS stated that the UR among persons aged 15 years and above rose slightly to 5.1 per cent in March 2026 from 4.9 per cent in February 2026, mainly driv

Datanomics: Minorities face disadvantage in India's labour market

India's stable unemployment rate masks sharp disparities, with minorities facing uneven job access, lower participation and higher reliance on informal work

Two-thirds of unemployed youth are graduates: State of Working India report

Graduate unemployment is rising in India despite higher education levels, with job creation lagging behind the addition of degree holders, says State of Working India 2026 report

India expands higher education access, but jobs gap remains: Report

India has made substantial progress in expanding access to higher education for youth in the last four decades, helping them move from agriculture to industry and services, and reduced gender and caste-based disparities, a report said. However, the 'State of Working India 2026' report stated that the challenges remain and the extent to which the large, increasingly educated, and aspirational cohort is absorbed into the labour market will determine whether India's demographic dividend translates into an economic dividend. India has made substantial progress in expanding access to higher education for its young (15- to 29-year-old) population, ensuring a movement out of agriculture into industry and services, and reduced gender and caste-based disparities, it stated. "More young people today are educated, informed, and ambitious than ever before. These are real achievements of which we can be proud," noted Indu Prasad, President, Azim Premji University in a statement. The report dra

Unemployment rate eases to 4.9% as urban hiring picks up: PLFS data

Urban hiring activity picks up after winter lull as overall unemployment rate falls slightly in February, according to the latest PLFS monthly bulletin

India's unemployment rate hit three-month high of 5% in January

India's unemployment rate climbed to 5% in January, a three-month high, as rural seasonal factors and post-harvest slack pushed joblessness up, even as labour force participation softened

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

Unemployment rate rises marginally to 4.8% in December: Govt data

Unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above rose marginally to 4.8 per cent in December 2025 compared to 4.7 per cent in the preceding month. The unemployment rate (UR) or joblessness, among persons of age 15 years and above, remained largely stable in December 2025, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Thursday. The overall UR is estimated at 4.8 per cent in December 2025 against 4.7 per cent observed in November 2025, it added. The rural UR remained stagnant at 3.9 per cent, while the urban UR increased to 6.7 per cent from 6.5 per cent in the previous month, the data showed. Among rural males aged 15 years and above, the UR remained low and stable at 4.1 per cent in December, 2025. Further, the urban female UR moderated to 9.1 per cent in December 2025 from 9.3 per cent in November 2025. According to a statement, the UR in the remaining gender sector increased slightly, tho

Unemployment rate falls to 4.7% in November, lowest since April: Govt

Among females aged 15 years and above, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.8 per cent in November from 5.4 per cent in October

Unemployment rate remains steady at 5.2% in October, reveals govt survey

The rate of unemployment for those aged 15 and above remained steady at 5.2 per cent in October, according to a government survey released on Monday. The unemployment rate (UR) was 5.2 per cent in September, 5.1 per cent in August, 5.2 per cent in July and 5.6 per cent in May and June, as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). The UR was 5.1 per cent in April as per the first PLFS bulletin released in May 2025. "The UR among persons of age 15 years and above remained unchanged at 5.2 per cent between September, 2025 and October, 2025," an official statement said. According to the statement, a marginal decline in the rural unemployment rate, from 4.6 per cent in September 2025 to 4.4 per cent in October 2025, coupled with a moderate rise in urban UR from 6.8 per cent to 7.0 per cent, resulted in overall stability in the pace of joblessness among persons aged 15 years and above. It stated that UR among

India's unemployment rate rises to 5.2% in September, shows govt data

The unemployment rate for those aged 15 and above increased marginally to 5.2 per cent in September, according to a government survey released on Wednesday. The unemployment rate (UR) was 5.1 per cent in August, 5.2 per cent in July and 5.6 per cent in May and June, as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). The UR was 5.1 per cent in April as per the first PLFS bulletin released in May 2025. "The UR among persons of age 15 years and above increased marginally to 5.2 per cent in September 2025 from 5.1 per cent recorded in August 2025 after declining during the past two successive months," an official statement said. The latest data collected in the current weekly status (CWS) showed that the unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above stood at 5.2 per cent in September. The rise in UR in rural areas (from 4.3 per cent in August 2025 to 4.6 per cent in September 2025) and a marginal increase

Gen-Z-led protests across Asia fuelled by a staggering jobs crisis

The generation born around the turn of the century is facing a bleak economic future. A shrinking pool of jobs and the advance of artificial intelligence are weighing on their prospects

Unemployment rate dips for second month to 5.1% in August: Govt survey

The unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above declined for the second month in a row in August, to 5.1 per cent, according to an a government survey released on Monday. The unemployment rate (UR) was 5.2 per cent in July and 5.6 per cent in both May and June, showed the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). The UR was 5.1 per cent in April as per the first PLFS bulletin released in May 2025 "Overall unemployment rate (persons of 15 years and above) declined for the second consecutive month from 5.6 per cent in June 2025 to 5.2 per cent in July 2025 and 5.1 per cent in August 2025," an official statement said. The latest data collected in current weekly status (CWS) showed that the unemployment rate for persons of age of 15 years and above during worked out at 5.1 per cent in August. Male unemployment rate in August 2025 was at its lowest of 5 per cent in five months in August 2025. It was 5.2 pe

India's jobless rate at 2% as per WEF, lowest among G20 nations: Mandaviya

India's unemployment rate of 2 per cent according to World Economic Forum is the lowest among G20 nations, Union Labour & Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday. The minister highlighted how employment generation has taken place across sectors in tandem with India's rapid economic growth and underlined the schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) that have contributed towards the same. He was addressing a gathering at the signing of MoUs between the ministry and digital mentorship platform Mentor Together' and classifieds online site Quikr' for enhancing employment opportunities as well as youth employability on the National Career Service (NCS) portal. Mandaviya said that these partnerships would make suitable employment opportunities as well as structured mentoring available to jobseekers, particularly in light of PM-VBRY coming into effect in August this year. Under PM-VBRY, Rs 99,446 crore is allocated towards incentivising the ...

India's unemployment rate eases to 5.2% in July as rural jobs rise

The unemployment rate for the April-June period, the first quarter of current fiscal year, was estimated at 5.4 per cent among those aged 15 years and above, the ministry said

India's demographic edge at risk as jobseekers are short on key skills

India has entered a rare demographic window with a young, growing workforce. But without the right jobs and skills, this opportunity could slip away, locking the country into long-term poverty

Women do better than men in education but don't get enough salaried jobs

The number of women in stable and salaried positions is shrinking; they are becoming dependent on informal work

Jobless rate at 5.6%, women's work participation down in May, shows data

Unemployment in May rose to 5.6 per cent with youth and women most affected, while labour force participation fell to 54.8 per cent, latest PLFS data shows