NEW DELHI, India — India’s unemployment rate among people aged 15 years and above declined in both rural and urban areas during the October–December quarter, compared with the July–September period, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics.
In rural areas, the unemployment rate fell to 4 percent in the October–December quarter, down from 4.4 percent in the previous quarter, driven by declines among both men and women. Urban unemployment for the same age group eased to 6.7 percent from 6.9 percent, with the drop led by a reduction in the jobless rate among urban men from 6.2 percent to 5.9 percent, the data showed.
The overall labour force participation rate for individuals aged 15 years and above rose to 55.8 percent during the quarter, compared with 55.1 percent in the July–September period, indicating broader employment engagement.
Female participation in the labour force showed a notable improvement, increasing to 34.9 percent in October–December from 33.7 percent in the previous quarter.
Another key employment indicator, the worker population ratio for those aged 15 years and above, improved to 53.1 percent during the quarter, up from 52.2 percent in July–September.
In rural areas, the worker population ratio continued its steady upward trend for both men and women from April–June through October–December.
Self-employment also increased across both rural and urban regions. In rural areas, the share of self-employed individuals aged 15 years and above rose to 63.2 percent during the quarter from 62.8 percent previously. In urban areas, the proportion increased to 39.7 percent from 39.3 percent.
Agriculture remained the dominant source of rural employment, accounting for 58.5 percent of employed individuals aged 15 years and above during the October–December quarter, up from 57.7 percent in the preceding period. (Source: IANS)
