India white-collar hiring up 1% as AI roles jump 20%
Business
India's job market was a mixed bag last month.
While overall white-collar hiring crawled up by just 1%, demand for AI and machine learning pros jumped 20%.
Experienced folks (16-plus years) also saw a 5% bump in opportunities, but freshers barely felt any change.
Indian companies favor specialized skills
Some sectors stood out: auto jobs grew 11%, especially in tech hubs like Hyderabad and Bengaluru. BPO and IT-enabled services had a huge 4% hiring spike, while hiring by global capability centers jumped 59% within the sector.
But not all news was good: education jobs fell by 18%, with telecom and hospitality also shrinking.
The takeaway? Companies are chasing specialized skills and experience over entry-level hires right now.