Unemployment Rate in India Hits 5.1%: A Closer Look at the Latest Labour Force Survey
Unemployment Insights from the Latest Survey
New Delhi: According to newly released government statistics, the unemployment rate in India was recorded at 5.1% for April 2025, marking the first time this figure has been reported on a monthly basis. The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation introduced the monthly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) to provide real-time insights into the job market. Previously, such surveys were conducted quarterly and annually. The data indicates that the unemployment rate for all age groups in April 2025 was 5.1%, with men experiencing a slightly higher rate of 5.2% compared to women at 5%.
The survey revealed that the unemployment rate for individuals aged 15-29 was notably higher at 13.8%. Urban areas reported an unemployment rate of 17.2%, while rural areas had a lower rate of 12.3%. The Current Weekly Status (CWS) method, which assesses employment based on the week preceding the survey, was utilized for this data collection. Among young women aged 15-29, the unemployment rate was 14.4% overall, with urban areas showing 23.7% and rural areas 10.7%. For young men in the same age group, the unemployment rate was 13.6%, with 15% in cities and 13% in villages.
The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for individuals aged 15 and older stood at 55.6% in April 2025. In rural regions, this rate was 58.0%, while urban areas saw a participation rate of 50.7%. The LFPR for males aged 15 and above was 79.0% in rural areas and 75.3% in urban settings. For females in the same age group, the participation rate was 38.2% in rural areas. The Worker Population Ratio (WPR), which indicates the percentage of employed individuals within the total population, was 55.4% in rural areas for those aged 15 and above, while urban areas recorded a WPR of 47.4%. The national WPR was 52.8% last month, with female WPRs at 36.8% in rural areas and 23.5% in urban areas, leading to an overall female WPR of 32.5%. To enhance the frequency and coverage of labour force indicators, the PLFS sampling methodology was updated in January 2025.