NEW DELHI — India’s white-collar job market closed the fiscal year on a strong footing, fueled by robust hiring in non-IT sectors and a sharp rise in demand for artificial intelligence roles, according to a report released Monday.
The report by Naukri showed fresher hiring rose 16 percent year over year, with gains spread across both major metropolitan areas and smaller cities, signaling broad-based momentum in the employment market.
Non-IT industries led overall job growth, with hospitality posting a 21 percent increase from a year earlier. The BPO and IT-enabled services sector followed with 18 percent growth, while oil and gas and education each rose 15 percent. Real estate hiring increased 14 percent.
The JobSpeak Index, a key measure of hiring activity, reached 2,858 in March, up 9 percent from the same period last year. The report said the strong finish helped push overall hiring growth for fiscal year 2026 above 8 percent, a notable improvement from just over 2 percent growth recorded in the previous fiscal year.
Hiring for entry-level professionals in higher salary brackets also surged, with roles offering more than Rs 20 lakh annually increasing 23 percent year over year.
While hiring in the IT sector remained largely flat, demand for artificial intelligence and machine learning roles grew sharply. AI and ML hiring rose more than 37 percent in March and exceeded 45 percent growth for the full fiscal year.
Demand for high-paying roles expanded significantly, particularly at the upper end of the salary spectrum. Jobs offering more than Rs 50 lakh annually saw the fastest growth at over 55 percent, followed by positions in the Rs 40–49 lakh range, which grew more than 40 percent, and roles in the Rs 30–39 lakh bracket, which increased over 41 percent.
The report also highlighted strong hiring activity among unicorn startups, where recruitment rose more than 24 percent year over year.
Regionally, Kolkata recorded the fastest growth in AI and ML hiring at more than 56 percent, followed by Delhi NCR at over 44 percent. Both regions outpaced traditional technology hubs such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
Service-oriented non-IT sectors, including hospitality, education, and BPO/ITES, showed sustained resilience throughout the fiscal year, underscoring a shift in hiring dynamics beyond the technology sector. (Source: IANS)
