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Informist, Friday, May 15, 2026

 

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--MoSPI: India unemployment rate 5.2% in Apr vs 5.1% in Mar
--CONTEXT: MoSPI releases Periodic Labour Force Survey for April
--MoSPI: India rural unemployment rate 4.6% in Apr vs 4.3% in Mar
--MoSPI: India urban unemployment rate 6.6% in Apr vs 6.8% in Mar
--MoSPI: India labour force participation rate 55.0% in Apr vs 55.4% Mar
--MoSPI: India worker population ratio rate 52.2% in Apr vs 52.6% Mar

 

NEW DELHI – India's unemployment rate for those aged 15 and above rose to a six-month high in April as rural unemployment rose to a seven-month high. In urban areas, unemployment saw a slight moderation last month, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey for April Friday.

 

The overall unemployment rate was 5.2% in April, marginally above 5.1% a month ago, survey results released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation showed. The rural unemployment rate for those aged 15 and above rose to 4.6% in April from 4.3% in March. For urban areas, it fell to 6.6% last month from 6.8% in March.

 

The unemployment rate for females aged 15 and above inched up to a three-month high of 5.4% last month, up from 5.3% in March. The unemployment rate was higher for women in urban areas at 8.5%, but the lowest monthly rate on record. For males, the unemployment rate rose to 5.1% in April from 5.0% a month ago.  

 

Youth unemployment – for those aged between 15 and 29 years — inched up to 15.3% in April from 15.2% in March. Joblessness among the youth was higher in urban areas in April at 18.0% compared with 14.1% in rural areas.

 

The labour force participation rate – the percentage of persons working or seeking or available for work – eased to an eight-month low of 55.0% in April from 55.4% in March. The labour force participation rate was higher in rural areas at 57.5% than in urban areas at 50.1%. The female labour force participation rate fell to an eight-month low of 33.9% in April from 34.4% in March.

 

The worker population ratio – the percentage of employed persons in the population – for those aged 15 and above slid to an eight-month low of 52.2% last month from 52.6% in March.  End

 

Reported by Shweta

Edited by Saji George Titus

 

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