India's unemployment rate falls to 5.1% in July-September as rural joblessness declines
India's unemployment rate saw a decline to 5.1% from 5.4% in the prior quarter. The decrease in unemployment primarily occurred in rural areas, where it fell to 4.3%. The survey indicated that more individuals were either working or seeking jobs during this period. Women's employment participation also improved, rising to 34.7% from 33.2%. The overall employment figure reached approximately 57.9…
India's unemployment rate fell to 5.1 percent in the July-September quarter of 2026, according to data released by the government. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) attributed the decline to a drop in rural unemployment, which decreased from 4.8 percent in the previous quarter to 4.3 percent.
While urban unemployment rose slightly to 6.8 percent from 6.7 percent, the overall unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 and above improved to 5.1 percent, up from 5.4 percent in the prior quarter. The share of people in this age group who were either working or seeking employment increased to 55.5 percent, up from 54.6 percent.
In rural areas, the proportion of people either employed or looking for jobs rose to 58.1 percent, compared to 56.9 percent in the previous quarter. This represented a 58.1 percent increase in employment participation. The employment rate for employed individuals also improved to 52.7 percent from 51.7 percent.
Women's participation in the workforce improved as well. The proportion of women working or looking for jobs increased to 34.7 percent from 33.2 percent, and the share of employed women rose to 32.8 percent from 31.3 percent. The survey indicated that an estimated 57.9 crore individuals aged 15 and above were employed in India during the quarter, with 40.5 crore being men and 17.4 crore being women.
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