- Apna, a professional networking site, saw a steep rise in job applications during Q1 2025
- The increase is due to increased women's workforce participation
- The drivers are flexible work arrangements, diverse hiring practices, and increasing opportunities in Tier II and III cities
Apna, professional networking site, announced a dramatic increase in hiring applications for the first quarter of 2025, which was marked by an impressive spike in women entering the workforce powered by flexible working models, diversity-oriented hiring policies, and increased opportunities in Tier II and III towns.
As per Apna's recently released report, "India at Work – Q1 2025," the platform saw a record 1.81 crore job applications, up 30 percent from the last year, fueled by a mix of economic optimism and a surging digital hiring wave in all industries.
Women participation was the highlight, with over 62 lakh applications, registering a year-on-year growth of 23 percent. Women participation was strongest in Tier II and Tier III cities such as Chandigarh, Indore, and Jamshedpur, led by growing flexibility, gender-neutral programs, and growing opportunities in BPO, finance, and HR.
Fresher’s also made a strong impact, offering over 66 lakh applications, registering a growth of 46 percent over Q1 2024. The site also logged 3.1 lakh fresh job listings, a 26 percent rise year-on-year. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMBs) took the lead, posting more than 2.1 lakh jobs of which 28,547 were exclusively for women.
Enterprise recruitment picked up strongly, with top organizations such as LIC, Paytm, Delhivery, and Flipkart posting more than 1 lakh openings, reaching out to a broader pool of talent outside regular metro cities. From Delhi to Dehradun, Surat to Samastipur, recruitment has really decentralised, said Nirmit Parikh, Apna Founder and CEO. "Tier II and III cities contributed more than 40 percent of new users, with many experiencing double-digit growth in applications. Interestingly, women's applications for enterprise positions increased by a whopping 92 percent, and fresher applications crossed 66 lakh."
Recruitment for tech jobs also shot up dramatically. Apna recorded a 65.4 percent surge in listings for Software/Web Developer positions, as applications by fresher candidates in these jobs also increased by 42.2 percent over the previous year. This uptrend is in response to increasing recruitment needs for industry experts in streams such as AI/ML, cybersecurity, business intelligence, and data operations as Indian companies speed up their digitalization process.
Although established technology hubs like Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai continue to lead the charge, others like Indore, Jaipur, Lucknow, Rajkot, and Warangal are quickly rising to become major players in India's changing technology ecosystem. The cities have seen a 30–50 percent increase in year-over-year applications of tech jobs, driven by improved access to engineering talent, professional certifications, and improved digital infrastructure.
With India's digital economy expected to reach USD 1 trillion by 2030, decentralisation of tech talent clusters is gaining speed," the report concluded. "Tier II and III cities are not only joining in but spearheading the charge towards creating India's tech future, innovation, and changing the digital hiring dynamics for years to come."
