India’s unemployment rate was 5.1% in April 2025, according to the first-ever monthly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation on May 15. This new monthly survey marks a shift in tracking employment data, offering real-time updates on joblessness. Previously, such data was collected only quarterly or annually.
The figures are based on the Current Weekly Status (CWS), which measures employment by examining activities during the seven days before the survey.
Key Highlights from April 2025 PLFS:
Overall unemployment rate: 5.1%
Male unemployment rate: 5.2%
Female unemployment rate: 5.0%
Unemployment rate for age group 15-29: 13.8%
Men: 13.6% (Urban: 15%, Rural: 13%)
Women: 14.4% (Urban: 23.7%, Rural: 10.7%)
Urban unemployment rate (15-29 age group): 17.2%
Rural unemployment rate (15-29 age group): 12.3%
The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), indicating the percentage of people working or looking for work, was 55.6% among those aged 15 and above. It was higher in rural areas at 58.0%, compared to 50.7% in urban regions.
Among males aged 15 and above, the LFPR was 79.0% in rural areas and 75.3% in urban areas. For women, the participation rate in rural areas stood at 38.2%. The Worker Population Ratio (WPR), which reflects the proportion of employed persons in the population, was 55.4% in rural areas and 47.4% in urban areas, with a national average of 52.8%.
Among females aged 15 and above, the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) was 36.8% in rural areas, 23.5% in urban areas, and 32.5% nationally.
Starting January 2025, the government revamped the PLFS sampling methodology to provide more frequent and detailed data. In April alone, 7,511 first-stage sampling units were covered, surveying 89,434 households (49,323 rural and 40,111 urban). A total of 380,838 individuals were surveyed, including 217,483 in rural areas and 163,355 in urban areas.
This new monthly survey marks a significant move toward capturing high-frequency labor market trends, enabling better policy decisions.