Most workers in Nagaland face significant challenges, with a recent survey revealing that many lack essential benefits like pensions, healthcare, and job contracts. This alarming situation is underscored by high unemployment rates and job insecurity, affecting nearly half of employed individuals who are ineligible for social security benefits according to the ‘Survey Report on Employment, Unemployment, Skill, and Migration in Nagaland 2025,’ published by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) of the Government of Nagaland. Officially released in September 2025, the report is now accessible to the public.
The survey indicates that Nagaland’s employment rate stands at 83.92%, while the unemployment rate is at 16.07%, mirroring findings from national surveys such as the Periodic Labour Force Survey. The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is estimated at 56%. Notably, only 13% of respondents were found to be salaried employees in either public or private sectors. Meanwhile, 24% were self-employed, and casual labor made up 3% and 6% for public works and other tasks, respectively. Some workers were engaged as unpaid helpers in household enterprises (4%), while others involved in domestic duties accounted for 9%. Just 1% of those surveyed reported being employers, and an additional 1% identified as pensioners or rentiers. Furthermore, 22% were attending educational institutions, with 9% actively seeking work. Alarmingly, 35% of unemployed respondents have been without jobs for over three years, a point that deserves further investigation.
The DES survey highlights that even those who are employed often lack social security protections. It defines social security benefits to include access to pensions, provident funds, gratuity, and healthcare. The report shows that only 7% of workers enjoy the full benefits package of pension, gratuity, and healthcare. Twenty-four percent have access to pension and provident funds, while just 2% have gratuity or healthcare benefits alone. Concerningly, 46% of respondents are deemed ineligible for any of the social benefits reported, potentially indicating gaps in awareness about available schemes like the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme for indigenous residents. Additionally, 15% of respondents were unsure if they were covered by any social security scheme.
The precarious nature of employment in Nagaland is further illustrated when examining job contracts. The majority of employed respondents-55%—report they do not receive paid leave, pointing to inadequate workplace protections. Moreover, about 65% of workers claim they have no written job contracts, indicating a prevalence of informal employment. Only 32% have contracts longer than three years, while contracts of less than one year and those lasting between one to three years are exceedingly rare.
Conducted between February and March 2025, the survey involved 4,395 households across 11 districts using a multi-stage stratified rural-unurban sampling design. This data reflects the employment landscape as of 2025. This report forms the first part of a series detailing the findings regarding employment and its various dimensions in Nagaland.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/nearly-half-of-nagalands-workforce-without-social-security-coverage-survey
Category: Nagaland
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Publish Date: 2026-01-04 23:39:00
