India Employment and Unemployment: PLFS Monthly and Annual Data
India's unemployment rate was 5.0% in August 2026 on a weekly-status basis, with urban at 6.8%, per MoSPI's PLFS. LFPR, WPR and gender gaps explained.
- Updated October 1, 2026
- 5 min read
- 5 sources
- India
Executive Summary
India's unemployment rate for people aged 15 and above was 5.0% in August 2026 on the current weekly status basis, with 4.1% in rural areas and 6.8% in urban areas, according to MoSPI's Periodic Labour Force Survey. The labour force participation rate was 55.6% and the worker population ratio 52.8%. The PLFS Annual Report 2025 shows an unemployment rate of 3.1% and LFPR of 59.3%, with male participation at 79.1% against 40.0% for women.
Key Numbers
Charts
PLFS monthly bulletin, persons aged 15+, current weekly status.
- UR rural4.1%
- UR urban6.8%
- UR all-India5%
- LFPR rural58.2%
- LFPR urban50.4%
- LFPR all-India55.6%
- WPR rural55.8%
- WPR urban47%
- WPR all-India52.8%
PLFS Annual Report 2025, persons aged 15+.
- Rural male2.6%
- Rural female2.1%
- Urban male4.2%
- Urban female6.4%
- All-India total3.1%
Data Tables
LFPR, WPR and UR by area and sex from the PLFS Annual Report 2025.
| Indicator | Rural male | Rural female | Rural total | Urban male | Urban female | Urban total | All male | All female | All total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LFPR (%) | 80.5 | 45.9 | 62.8 | 76.2 | 27.7 | 52.2 | 79.1 | 40.0 | 59.3 |
| WPR (%) | 78.4 | 44.9 | 61.2 | 73.0 | 25.9 | 49.7 | 76.6 | 38.8 | 57.4 |
| UR (%) | 2.6 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 4.2 | 6.4 | 4.8 | - | - | 3.1 |
Overview
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), run by MoSPI's National Statistics Office, is India's main source of labour market data. It reports the labour force participation rate (LFPR), the worker population ratio (WPR) and the unemployment rate (UR). Since 2025 MoSPI also publishes a monthly bulletin covering rural and urban areas on the current weekly status (CWS) basis, which uses a seven-day reference period.
In August 2026, the CWS unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above was 5.0% [1]. It was 4.1% in rural areas and 6.8% in urban areas [1].
Monthly Labour Market Indicators
LFPR for persons aged 15 and above was 55.6% in August 2026, with 58.2% in rural areas and 50.4% in urban areas [1]. Rural LFPR rose by 1.2 percentage points over August 2025 [2]. The WPR was 52.8%, with 55.8% in rural and 47.0% in urban areas [1].
Earlier in 2026, LFPR stood at 55.0% in April, compared with 55.4% in March 2026 and 55.6% in April 2025 [5].
The quarterly bulletin for April-June 2026 put the urban unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above at 6.7%, which MoSPI described as broadly stable [3].
Gender and Rural-Urban Gaps
The PLFS Annual Report 2025 shows LFPR for persons aged 15 and above of 59.3% [4]. Male LFPR was 79.1% and female LFPR 40.0% [4]. Urban female LFPR was 27.7%, against 45.9% in rural areas [4].
The WPR for persons aged 15 and above was 57.4%, with 76.6% for men and 38.8% for women [4].
The unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above was 3.1% [4]. It was 2.4% in rural areas and 4.8% in urban areas [4]. Urban women had the highest rate at 6.4% [4].
Methodology
Monthly and quarterly figures are from MoSPI PLFS bulletins and press notes, on the current weekly status (CWS) basis for persons aged 15 and above. Annual figures are from the key indicators table of the PLFS Annual Report 2025.
- LFPR is the share of the population in the labour force (working or seeking work). WPR is the share of the population employed. UR is the share of the labour force without work.
- Annual report figures and monthly CWS figures use different reference periods and should not be compared directly.
- The monthly series begins in 2025, so long-run comparisons on the CWS basis are not yet possible.
Sources
- [1]
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) / Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation / 2026 / Accessed October 1, 2026 / View source
- [2]
Press Note on Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Monthly Bulletin, August 2026 / Press Information Bureau / Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation / 2026 / Accessed October 1, 2026 / View source
- [3]
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Quarterly Bulletin April-June, 2026 / Press Information Bureau / Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation / 2026 / Accessed October 1, 2026 / View source
- [4]
Annual Report, Periodic Labour Force Survey, 2025 / Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation / 2026-05-29 / Accessed October 1, 2026 / View source
- [5]
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Monthly Bulletin, April 2026 / Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (via PublicNow) / 2026 / Accessed October 1, 2026 / View source
Figures are reproduced from the publishers above. Calculations marked as our own are derived from these figures. Always check the original source before using a number.
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