India's unemployment rate rises to 5-month high of 5.1% in March
This story was originally published at 16:52 IST on 15 April 2026
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--MoSPI: India unemployment rate 5.1% in Mar vs 4.9% in Feb
--CONTEXT: MoSPI releases Periodic Labour Force Survey for March
--MoSPI: India rural unemployment rate 4.3% in Mar vs 4.2% in Feb
--MoSPI: India urban unemployment rate 6.8% in Mar vs 6.6% in Feb
--MoSPI: India labour force participation rate 55.4% in Mar vs 55.9% Feb
--MoSPI: India worker population ratio rate 52.6% in Mar vs 53.2% Feb
--MoSPI: India female labour force participation rate 34.4% Mar vs 35.3% Feb
NEW DELHI – The unemployment rate in India for people aged 15 years or above rose in March, with joblessness rising in both urban and rural areas. Unemployment rate was higher among females, particularly in urban areas, according to Periodic Labour Force Survey for March released Wednesday.
The overall unemployment rate rose to 5.1% in March, up from 4.9% a month ago and the highest since October, survey results released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation showed. The rural unemployment rate for those aged above 15 rose to 4.3% in March from 4.2% in February. For urban areas, it rose to 6.8% last month from from 6.6% in February.
The unemployment rate for females aged above 15 years rose to 5.3% last month from 5.1% in February. Unemployment rate was higher for women in urban areas at 9.0% compared with 4.1% in rural areas in March. For males, unemployment rate rose to 5.0% in March from 4.8% a month ago.
Youth unemployment--relating to those aged 15-29 years--jumped to 15.2% in March from 14.8% in February. Joblessness among the youth was higher in urban areas in March at 18.4% compared with 13.6% in rural areas.
The labour force participation rate-–the percentage of persons working or seeking or available for work--eased in March to 55.4% from 55.9% in February. The labour force participation rate was higher in rural areas at 58.0% against 50.3% in urban areas. The female labour force participation rate fell to 34.4% in March from 35.3% a month ago.
The worker population ratio, which is the percentage of employed persons in the population, for persons aged 15 years and above slid to 52.6% last month from 53.2% in February. End
Reported by Shubham Rana
Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury
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