Female jobless rate hits a 3-month high; youth unemployment climbs to 15%
India’s unemployment rate edged up to 5.2% in September from 5.1% in August, with rural areas witnessing a sharper increase than urban centers, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), said a report by Economic Times.
The uptick reflects a widening rural slowdown and a rise in joblessness among both men and women across sectors.
Rural Unemployment Drives Overall Rise
The rural unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in September from 4.3% in August.
Male unemployment in rural areas climbed to 4.7% (from 4.5%)
Female unemployment rose to 4.3% (from 4%)
In urban areas, the jobless rate inched up to 6.8% from 6.7%.
- Male unemployment increased to 6% (from 5.9%)
- Female unemployment surged to 9.3%, a three-month high, compared to 8.9% in August.
Youth Unemployment and Gender Gap Widen
Unemployment among youth aged 15–29 years reached a three-month high of 15%, up from 14.6% in August.
Overall, male unemployment rose to 5.1% (from 5%), while female unemployment climbed to 5.5% (from 5.2%).
Labour Force Participation Improves
The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) — the share of the population either working or actively seeking work — increased to a five-month high of 55.3% in September, up from 55% in August.
- Female LFPR rose to 34.1%, the highest since May 2025
- Male LFPR also improved slightly to 77.1% from 77%
In rural areas, male participation rose to 78.1% (from 77.9%), while female participation increased to 37.9% (from 37.4%).
In contrast, urban male participation dipped marginally to 75.3%, while female participation held steady at 26.1%.
Among youth, the LFPR reached a four-month high of 41.3%, supported by a rise in female participation to 21.7%.
Employment Ratio Edges Higher
Despite the increase in unemployment, the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) — or the proportion of the population actually employed — ticked up to 52.4% in September from 52.2% in August.
Female WPR improved to 32.3% from 32%, while male WPR remained stable at 73.2%.
Survey Scope
The PLFS covered 89,291 households and 375,703 individuals across both rural and urban regions. The survey uses the Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach, which tracks whether individuals were employed or seeking employment during the seven days preceding the survey.
The September data signals labour market stress in rural India, even as participation rates improve. Analysts say this trend may reflect seasonal rural job losses following the monsoon period, along with slower non-farm job creation.