More Stories

Informist, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026

 

Please click here to read all liners published on this story

--MoSPI: India unemployment rate 5.0% in Jan vs 4.8% in Dec 
--CONTEXT: MoSPI releases Periodic Labour Force Survey for Jan 
--MoSPI: India rural unemployment rate 4.2% in Jan vs 3.9% in Dec 
--MoSPI: India urban unemployment rate 7.0% in Jan vs 6.7% in Dec 
--MoSPI: India labour force participation rate 55.9% in Jan vs 56.1?c 
--MoSPI: India worker population ratio rate 53.1% in Jan vs 53.4?c 

 

MUMBAI – Unemployment among those aged 15 years or above rose, while the labour force participation rate declined in January. The overall unemployment rate rose to a three-month high of 5.0% in January from 4.8% in December, according to data released Monday by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

 

Rural unemployment rate for those aged above 15 rose to 4.2% in January from 3.9% a month ago, according to the results of the Periodic Labour Force Survey. In urban areas, the unemployment rate rose to 7.0% in January from 6.7% in the previous month.

 

Youth unemployment – those aged 15-29 years – increased to a three-month high of 14.7% in January, pulled up by a rise in joblessness in urban areas. 

 

Unemployment rate jumped for females aged above 15 in January, rising to 5.6% last month from 4.9% in December. For males, it rose to 4.8% from 4.7% in December. 

 

The labour force participation rate-–the percentage of persons working or seeking or available for work—eased to 55.9% in January from 56.1% in December. The labour force participation rate was higher in rural areas at 58.7% compared with 50.3% in urban areas. The female labour force participation rate eased to 35.1% last month from a series high of 35.3% in December.

 

The worker population ratio, which is the percentage of employed persons in the population, for persons aged 15 years and above eased to 53.1% in January from 53.4% in December. 

 

"The decline in LFPR (labour force participation rate) and WPR (worker population ratio) and rise in UR (unemployment rate) in January 2026 is primarily rural-driven, with seasonal factors, post-harvest slack, and discouragement effects playing a key role," the ministry said. "Many activities like construction, agriculture allied work, transport, small trade, etc. slowdown in winter. Urban areas remained stable."  End

 

Reported by J. Navya Sruthi and Shubham Rana

Edited by Saji George Titus

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd. by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt. Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (22) 6985-4000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2026. All rights reserved.