New Delhi, May 11: According to a statement released by the Ministry of Statistics on Monday, urban unemployment in India has decreased during the January-March quarter of this year. Meanwhile, employment in rural areas has seen growth in the secondary and tertiary sectors.
During the January-March 2026 quarter, the overall unemployment rate (UR) for individuals aged 15 and above in urban areas fell from 6.7% in the previous quarter to 6.6%.
In rural areas, the share of regular wage and salaried employees increased to 15.5%, up from 14.8% in the last quarter.
The ministry noted a slight rise in the proportion of regular salaried employees in rural regions. Additionally, employment in the secondary and tertiary sectors has also expanded.
The statement indicated that the employment structure remains largely unchanged. Most individuals in rural areas continue to work in agriculture and related primary sectors, while urban employment is predominantly concentrated in the service sector.
In the January-March 2026 period, the share of people working in agriculture in rural areas was 55.8%, down from 58.5% in the previous quarter. Conversely, the share of employment in the rural service sector increased from 20.6% in October-December 2025 to 21.7% in January-March 2026.
Furthermore, the share of employment in the secondary sector, including mining and quarrying in rural areas, rose from 20.9% to 22.6% compared to the previous quarter.
However, the distribution of employment across various sectors in urban areas remained relatively stable.
On average, 574 million people were employed in the country during the January-March quarter, comprising 402 million men and 172 million women. According to the Ministry of Statistics, these figures are based on a survey of 561,822 individuals across India.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
Leave a Comment