India’s unemployment rate in April was recorded at 5.1% for individuals aged 15 and above, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Thursday. The unemployment rate for males stood at 5.2%, while it was slightly lower for females at 5.0%. In urban areas, the unemployment rate reached 6.5%, notably higher than the rural rate of 4.5%. Among females in urban areas, unemployment rose to 8.7%, in contrast to 5.8% for males. Conversely, in rural areas, female unemployment was lower at 3.9% compared to 4.9% for males. Experts attribute this rural-urban disparity to the increasing pressure for job creation in urban regions.
The survey uses the current weekly status (CWS) approach, assessing the employment activity of individuals based on their status over the seven days leading up to the survey date. Youth unemployment for individuals aged 15-29 was particularly concerning, standing at 13.8%, with urban youth unemployment at 17.2% and rural youth at 12.3%. Notably, the female youth unemployment rate was higher at 14.4% compared to 13.6% for males. In urban settings, the disparity was even more pronounced, with female youth unemployment at 23.7% against 15.0% for males. However, rural females fared better, experiencing a youth unemployment rate of 10.7% compared to 13.0% for their male counterparts. Economist Paras Jasrai suggested that this may stem from greater female educational preferences in urban areas coupled with fewer job opportunities for women in these regions.
The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for people aged 15 and over stood at 55.6% in April. In urban settings, it was 50.7%, while rural areas recorded a higher participation rate of 58.0%. The gender divide in participation rates was stark, with females at just 34.2% compared to 77.7% for males. Specifically, in urban areas, the female LFPR was 25.7%, significantly lower than the rural rate of 38.2%. Male participation rates were 75.3% in urban areas and rose to 79.0% in rural zones.
The Worker Population Ratio (WPR), an indicator of employment rates, was 52.8% for individuals aged 15 and above in April, with the urban WPR at 47.4% and rural WPR at 55.4%. The WPR for females stood at 23.5% in urban areas and 36.8% in rural areas, while for males, it was 71% in urban areas and 75.1% in rural areas.
In April, the revamped PLFS surveyed 3.80 lakh individuals and 89,434 households. Starting in January 2025, the survey will adopt a new sample design featuring a monthly rotational panel scheme for both rural and urban areas, where each selected household will be visited four times over four consecutive months. Changes to the survey structure include new questions aimed at gathering detailed information on education, vocational training, land ownership, and household income from various sources.
The revamped PLFS will also transition to a calendar year reporting period beginning in January 2025, moving away from the previous July-June cycle. The recently released April bulletin marks the first of its kind, with a quarterly bulletin covering both rural and urban areas expected in August. Previously, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation provided rural PLFS data annually and urban data quarterly, along with a comprehensive annual report combining both sets of data. Other surveys, such as the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy’s (CMIE) employment reports, are released on a more frequent basis.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/business/first-monthly-labour-force-survey-unemployment-rate-at-5-1-per-cent-in-april-10009362/
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Publish Date: 2025-05-16 04:30:00
