India's Unemployment Rate at 5.1% in April 2025

India's first-ever monthly labour force data, released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, shows an unemployment rate of 5.1% in April 2025. This marks a significant shift in employment monitoring, transitioning from quarterly and annual data to monthly insights.

Key Findings: The unemployment rate for men was slightly higher at 5.2%, compared to 5% among women. Youth aged 15 to 29 years faced a significantly higher unemployment rate of 13.8%, with urban areas reporting a higher joblessness rate of 17.2% compared to rural areas at 12.3%.

Urban-Rural Divide in Youth Unemployment

Among the 15–29 age group, women faced a higher unemployment burden, with a national rate of 14.4%. The urban-rural divide was stark, with 23.7% in cities and 10.7% in villages. For men in the same age category, joblessness was recorded at 13.6% nationally, 15% in urban areas, and 13% in rural regions.

Labour Force Participation and Worker Population Ratio

The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) among individuals aged 15 years and above stood at 55.6% in April 2025, higher in rural regions (58%) compared to urban areas (50.7%). The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) was 52.8% at the national level, with rural areas at 55.4% and urban regions at 47.4%.

Survey Methodology: The PLFS methodology was revamped in January 2025 for better granularity and frequency of labour market indicators. In April alone, the survey covered 7,511 first-stage sampling units, capturing responses from 3,80,838 individuals.