India's unemployment rate holds steady at 5.2% in October

Business Nov 17, 2025

India's jobless rate stayed at 5.2% in October 2025, showing little change from September.
The numbers suggest things are pretty stable overall, though there are some differences between cities and villages.

Rural gains, urban struggles

Rural areas saw a slight improvement, with unemployment dipping from 4.6% to 4.4%.
But city joblessness ticked up a bit—from 6.8% to 7%.
It's a reminder that finding work can still be tougher in urban India.

Women see minor progress

Unemployment among women dropped just a touch (from 5.5% to 5.4%), mostly thanks to rural women finding more jobs lately.
For men, the rate held steady at 5.1%, with only tiny shifts between rural and urban areas.