India's September 2026 hiring steady and AI/ML roles over 20%
India's job market stayed steady in September 2026, but there's a clear shift: companies are snapping up talent for artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) roles: hiring for these jumped over 20% compared to last year.
Meanwhile, traditional IT and software jobs actually dropped by 4%.
Overall white-collar hiring nudged up just 2%, showing that specialized skills are what employers want right now.
India's 13-15-year hiring up 7%
If you've got years of experience under your belt, you're in luck. Hiring for folks with 13-15 years' experience grew by 7%.
Entry-level jobs (0-3 years' experience) barely budged at just 1% growth, a big drop from August.
Sectors like banking and financial services and real estate saw hiring remain broadly flat, while hospitality and telecom took a hit.
The takeaway: the hottest opportunities are going to those with niche skills or solid experience.