NEW DELHI, Aug 18: India’s unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in July 2025, down from 5.6% in June and May, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
The survey used the Current Weekly Status (CWS) methodology, which measures unemployment based on the activity status during the seven days preceding the survey.
The unemployment rate among men was slightly higher at 5.3%, compared to 5.1% for women.
In urban areas, the unemployment rate for all age groups rose marginally to 7.2% in July from 7.1% in June, while in rural areas, it declined to 4.4%, down from 4.9%.
Among the youth (aged 15–29), unemployment fell to 14.9% in July, compared to 15.3% in June.
However, urban youth unemployment rose slightly to 19%, while rural youth joblessness dropped to 13% from 13.8%.
The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) — which reflects the percentage of people either working or seeking work — increased to 41.4% in July from 41% in June. In rural areas, LFPR was 42%, while in urban areas it rose to 40.1%.
The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) — the proportion of employed people in the total population — also improved.
Nationally, it increased to 52% in July from 51.2% in June.
In rural areas, the WPR for those aged 15 and above rose to 54.4%, up from 53.3%. In urban regions, it stood at 47%.
As part of enhanced data collection from January 2025, the survey covered 7,519 primary sampling units, surveying 89,505 households and 379,222 individuals across India. (PTI)
