Female Unemployment in India Reaches Three-Month High

By: WE staff | Thursday, 16 October 2025

• India's unemployment among the 15+ population rose slightly to 5.2percent in September from 5.1percent in August
• Overall unemployment for all ages rose to 5.3percent, a three-month high
• Female unemployment also reached a three-month peak

Joblessness rate for people 15 years and above went up slightly in September, and the female unemployment rate was at a three-month high, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).

The joblessness rate of 15 years and above went up to 5.2 percent in September from 5.1 percent in August after falling for the previous two months. For all ages combined, the rate went up to 5.3 percent, which was a three-month high.

Unemployment rose to 4.7percent in rural regions from August's figure of 4.5 percent for males and rose to 4.3 percent from August's figure of 4.0 percent for females. In urban regions, the rate rose slightly to 6.8 percent, up from August's 6.7 percent.

For females in urban areas, unemployment accelerated to 9.3percent from the percentage in August at 8.9percent, while for males, it accelerated to 6.0 percent from 5.9 percent in August.

The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for people aged 15 years and above accelerated for the third consecutive month to 55.3percent in September, the highest level since the last five months (54.2percent in June).

For the rural areas, LFPR went up from 56.1 percent in June to 57.4 percent in September, whereas urban LFPR stayed the same as the percentage of August at 50.9 percent. For females, LFPR of individuals aged 15 and over rose to 34.1 percent, which is the highest figure seen since May 2025.