Unemployment rate rises to 5.6% in May, female joblessness higher at 5.8%

India’s Unemployment Data – May 2025 (PLFS, MoSPI)

🔹 Overall Unemployment Rate (UR):

• 5.6% (↑ from 5.1% in April 2025).
• Males: 5.6%
• Females: 5.8%

🔹 Youth Unemployment (15–29 yrs):

• Overall: 15% (↑ from 13.8% in April).
• Female (15–29 yrs): 16.3%(↑ from 14.4% in April).
  • Urban: 24.7% (↑ from 23.7%)
  • Rural: 13% (↑ from 10.7%)
• Male (15–29 yrs): 14.5% (↑ from 13.6%).

🔹 Urban–Rural Breakup (All ages):

• Urban: 17.9% (↑ from 17.2% in April).
• Rural: 13.7% (↑ from 12.3% in April).

Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR, 15+ yrs):

• Overall: 54.8% (↓ from 55.6% in April).
• Rural: 56.9% (↓ from 58%).
• Urban: 50.4% (↓ from 50.7%).
• Male LFPR: 78.3% (↓ from 79%).
• Female LFPR:
  • Rural: 36.9% (↓ from 38.2%).
  • Urban: 25.3% (↓ from 25.7%).

Worker Population Ratio (WPR, 15+ yrs):

• Overall: 51.7% (↓ from 52.8% in April).
• Rural: 54.1% (↓ from 55.4%).
• Urban: 46.9% (↓ from 47.4%).
• Female WPR:
  • Rural: 35.2% (↓ from 36.8%).
  • Urban: 23.0% (↓ from 23.5%).
  • Overall female: 31.3% (↓ from 32.5%).

Key Explanations for Trends

• Seasonal variation: End of Rabi harvest → fewer jobs in agriculture.
• Sectoral shift in rural areas: Employment moved from agriculture (↓ from 45.9% to 43.5%) → secondary & services.
• High summer heat: Physical outdoor work declined in many states.
• Female LFPR fall: Fewer women in casual labour & unpaid helper roles; many shifted to household work in rural areas.
• Urban areas: Marginal fall in own-account workers & casual labour.
  
  Updated -  June 16, 2025 08:14 pm | The Hindu