FX.co ★ India Jobless Rate Drops to 5.2% in July–Sept Quarter

India's unemployment rate has decreased to 5.2% in the July to September quarter, a slight improvement from the 5.4% recorded in the prior three months, according to data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) issued by the Ministry of Statistics. This decline is attributed to enhanced rural employment opportunities during the agricultural season and a rise in female workforce participation. In rural regions, unemployment among individuals aged 15 and older fell to 4.4% from 4.8%. However, urban unemployment experienced a slight uptick, increasing to 6.9% from 6.8%. Specifically, unemployment among urban women rose slightly to 9.0% from 8.9%, while it marginally increased for men to 6.2% from the previous quarter's 6.1%. The overall labour force participation rate (LFPR) saw a minor rise to 55.1% from 55.0%, with female participation continuing its growth to reach 33.7%, up from 33.4%.