Unemployment dips to 5.2% in India, rural areas lead
India's job scene saw a bit of good news this July-September: the overall unemployment rate for people aged 15+ dipped to 5.2%, down from 5.4% last quarter, says the latest government survey.
Rural areas led the way with unemployment falling from 4.8% to 4.4%, thanks mostly to more self-employment and seasonal farm work.
Urban areas were more mixed—male unemployment ticked up slightly to 6.2%, and female unemployment nudged up too, reaching 9%.
More women joining the workforce
The survey found rural self-employment is on the rise (now at nearly 63%), and regular wage jobs in cities also saw a small bump.
Agriculture jobs in villages jumped as well, reflecting busy farming months.
Nationally, just over half of working-age people are employed (Worker Population Ratio at 52.2%).
Notably, more women are joining the workforce—female participation rose to nearly 34%, driven by gains in rural India—hinting at slow but steady progress toward gender inclusivity in jobs across the country.