India’s Unemployment Rate Climbs to 5.1% in March

2026-04-15 12:02 By Joana Ferreira 1 min. read

India’s unemployment rate increased to 5.1% in March 2026, up from 4.9% in February, matching market expectations and marking the highest level since October 2025.

The rise was driven by higher joblessness in both urban areas (6.8% vs. 6.6%) and rural regions (4.3% vs. 4.2%).

Women faced a notable uptick in unemployment, with urban female joblessness rising to 9.0% (from 8.7%) and rural female unemployment reaching 4.1% (from 4.0%).

Male unemployment also inched higher, climbing to 6.1% (from 5.9%) in urban areas and 4.4% (from 4.2%) in rural regions.

Meanwhile, the employment rate dipped to 52.6% from 53.2%, and the labor force participation rate fell to 55.4% from 55.9%, signaling a slight weakening in overall labor market conditions.



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India’s Unemployment Rate Climbs to 5.1% in March
India’s unemployment rate increased to 5.1% in March 2026, up from 4.9% in February, matching market expectations and marking the highest level since October 2025. The rise was driven by higher joblessness in both urban areas (6.8% vs. 6.6%) and rural regions (4.3% vs. 4.2%). Women faced a notable uptick in unemployment, with urban female joblessness rising to 9.0% (from 8.7%) and rural female unemployment reaching 4.1% (from 4.0%). Male unemployment also inched higher, climbing to 6.1% (from 5.9%) in urban areas and 4.4% (from 4.2%) in rural regions. Meanwhile, the employment rate dipped to 52.6% from 53.2%, and the labor force participation rate fell to 55.4% from 55.9%, signaling a slight weakening in overall labor market conditions.
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