White-Collar Job Growth Surges 14% in October, Driven by Manufacturing and AI Skills Demand
October saw a 14% rise in white-collar job hiring in India, fueled by strong demand in manufacturing and AI skills.
New Delhi, November 3 (Daily Kiran) : October 2026 marked a significant uptick in white-collar job recruitment across India. According to a recent report from a leading employment website, hiring in this sector increased by 14% compared to the previous year. The surge is largely attributed to rising demand for skills in manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI).
The JobSpeak Index, a key indicator of the job market, rose to 2,836 in October 2026, up from 2,480 in October 2025. One contributing factor to this growth is a favorable base effect, as hiring activities were relatively slow during the previous year’s Diwali season.
In terms of industry performance, the automobile sector led the way with a remarkable 36% increase in hiring. This was followed by the BPO/ITeS sector, which saw a 17% rise, and the banking and financial services sector with a 16% increase.
Overall, demand for jobs related to production and manufacturing surged by 39%, making it one of the fastest-growing job functions. Hitesh Oberoi, Managing Director and CEO of Info Edge (India), noted that manufacturing companies are expanding their capacities, and the consistent demand for AI skills suggests that current hiring trends are based on solid business fundamentals and real market needs.
In the automobile sector, recruitment for production and manufacturing roles jumped by 41%. Research and development positions saw a 53% increase, while jobs in procurement and supply chain management rose by 50%. In contrast, hiring for sales and business development roles grew by only 7%.
The same trend was observed in the industrial products and heavy machinery sector, where production-related hiring increased by 40%, and quality assurance positions by 41%. Additionally, roles in construction, engineering, cement, and metals saw increases of 33%, 25%, and 20%, respectively, in production and project management positions.
In the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, overall recruitment grew by 6%. However, hiring for production roles rose by 40%, and procurement-related positions increased by 20%. Conversely, hiring for sales and business development roles fell by 5%.
When looking at experience levels, demand for senior professionals was highest. Recruitment for those with 13-16 years and over 16 years of experience rose by 22% each. Freshers saw a 15% increase in hiring, while professionals with 8-12 years and 4-7 years of experience experienced growth of 14% and 11%, respectively.
