Image Credit source: ai generated
Unemployment has increased marginally in the country. The unemployment rate for people aged fifteen and above increased to 5.1 percent in March this year, which was 4.9 percent in February. The main reason for this is the high unemployment rate in urban areas. The Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS) of the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation is the primary source of data on population participation, employment and unemployment status. The methodology of the PLFS survey has been revised with effect from January 2025 to provide monthly and quarterly estimates of labor force indicators for the country. Monthly bulletins for April, 2025 to February, 2026 have already been issued. The current monthly bulletin for March, 2026 is the 12th bulletin of this series.
Government released statistics on employment
A statement issued on PLFS said that the unemployment rate among persons aged 15 years and above has increased marginally to 5.1 percent in March, 2026 from 4.9 percent in February, 2026. This increase is mainly due to the increase in urban unemployment rate, which increased to 6.8 percent in March 2026 whereas it was 6.6 percent in February last month. According to the statement, the unemployment rate among rural women aged 15 years and above remained almost stable in March, 2026, while the unemployment rate among men of the same age group was marginally higher in March, 2026 as compared to February, 2026. Female unemployment rate in rural areas remained stable in March 2026. At the all-India level, the monthly estimates are based on information obtained from a survey of a total of 3,75,262 individuals. There is a stable trend in the urban labor force participation rate (LFPR).
This figure also came out
- The overall labor force participation rate among people aged 15 years and above was recorded at 55.4 percent in March 2026, which is slightly lower than 55.9 percent in February 2026.
- LFPR in rural areas was 58 percent in March, 2026, while it was 58.7 percent in February, 2026. At the same time, LFPR remained almost stable in urban areas.
- According to the statement, the female labor force participation rate stood at 34.4 percent in March this year, while it was 35.3 percent in February 2026.
- Female LFPR in rural areas was 38.9 percent in March 2026, while in urban areas it was 25.2 percent.
- According to the statement, the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for the age group 15 years and above remained broadly stable in urban areas last month.
- Overall WPR last month has been estimated to be 52.6 percent. In rural areas, the WPR in March, 2026 was 55.5 percent, while in February, 2026 it was 56.3 percent.
- At the same time, WPR in urban areas was 46.8 percent in March, 2026, whereas it was 47 percent in February, 2026.
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