Has unemployment increased or decreased in India? The latest data has arrived, there is panic in the cities!

New Delhi: This year, in March 2026, a slight increase has been seen in the unemployment rate of the country. The unemployment rate among people aged 15 years and above increased from 4.9 percent in February to 5.1 percent in March. According to government data, this increase has happened mainly in cities.

This information has been revealed in the latest monthly data of Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS) released by the National Statistical Office (NSO). This survey is considered to be the main source of understanding the situation of employment and unemployment.

Unemployment rate in cities reached 6.8 percent

The unemployment situation in urban areas was a bit worrying. The unemployment rate in cities increased to 6.8 percent in March 2026, whereas it was 6.6 percent in February. The unemployment rate of women in rural areas remained almost stable. At the same time, the unemployment rate among rural men increased slightly in March as compared to February. Overall, the situation in rural areas did not deteriorate much.

Slight decline in labor force participation rate

The labor force participation rate (LFPR) for people aged 15 years and above declined to 55.4 percent in March 2026, which was 55.9 percent in February. In rural areas this rate was 58 percent, whereas in February it was 58.7 percent. The labor force participation rate in urban areas remained almost stable.

The labor force participation rate of women was 34.4 percent in March, which is less than 35.3 percent in February. This rate was recorded at 38.9 percent in rural women and 25.2 percent in urban women.

stability in labor population ratio

According to the data, the overall worker population ratio (WPR) stood at 52.6 percent in March. It was 46.8 percent in urban areas and 55.5 percent in rural areas. Not much change was seen in WPR in urban areas, while in rural areas it decreased slightly compared to February.

These figures are based on a survey of a total of 3,75,262 people. Experts say that this small increase in unemployment in cities is affecting the youth and the educated class. The government is keeping an eye on these figures and is running various schemes to increase employment.