{
  "id": 11431988,
  "title": "White-collar hiring grows 2% led by AI/ML sector in Sep: Report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/white-collar-hiring-grows-2-led-by-ai-ml-sector-in-sep-report",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-02T11:49:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "YourStory",
    "slug": "yourstory",
    "url": "https://yourstory.com/2026/10/white-collar-hiring-grows-2-led-by-aiml-sector-in-sep-report"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "White-collar hiring in India grew by 2% year-on-year in September, driven primarily by a significant surge in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) roles, according to a report by Naukri.com. The Naukri JobSpeak Index, which tracks job market trends in India, reached 3,053, up from 3,002 in the same month last year, as new job postings and recruiter searches were analyzed. AI/ML roles experienced a notable 20% growth in September, while the auto sector expanded by 11%. Other sectors such as BPO/ITES and GCC hiring saw growth of 4% each, while Insurance, Retail, Banking and Financial Services, and Real Estate remained relatively stable. Conversely, hiring in IT/Software Services, Pharma/Biotech, FMCG, and Healthcare decreased by 4%, 4%, 4%, and 3% respectively. Entry and early-mid career professionals saw a slight increase of 1% year-on-year, while professionals with 4 to 7 years of experience decreased by 2%. Experienced professionals, however, continued to be in higher demand, with hiring increasing by 5% for those with 8 to 12 years of experience, 7% for those with 13 to 16 years, and 5% for those with over 16 years. Among major cities, Hyderabad saw a 9% year-on-year growth, followed by Chennai at 6%, and Bengaluru and Kolkata at 4% each. Notably, Pune remained stable, while Delhi-NCR and Mumbai experienced a decline of 6% each. The overall hiring market remained steady but became more selective, with a preference for specialized skills and experienced professionals. Hitesh Oberoi, MD and CEO of Info Edge (India) Limited, commented on the report, noting the shift towards specialized skills and demand for more experienced professionals in the evolving hiring landscape.",
  "summary": "The report revealed that Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) roles continued to record growth, rising 20% in September, while the Auto sector grew 11%.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}