The unemployment rate among individuals aged 15 and above in India decreased in the October-December quarter for both rural and urban areas compared to the previous quarter of 2025-26. In rural regions, the unemployment rate dropped to 4% from 4.4%, driven by reductions in both male and female unemployment rates. Similarly, the urban unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 and above decreased to 6.7% from 6.9%, with urban male unemployment rate declining from 6.2% to 5.9%.
The overall Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for individuals aged 15 and above rose to 55.8% in October-December, up from 55.1% in the previous quarter, indicating increased employment. Notably, the female LFPR for the same age group increased to 34.9% from 33.7% in the previous quarter. The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for individuals aged 15 and above also improved from 52.2% to 53.1% during the same period.
Self-employment saw an increase in both rural and urban areas, with self-employed individuals aged 15 and above in rural areas rising to 63.2% in October-December from 62.8% in the previous quarter. In urban areas, self-employed individuals in the same age group accounted for 39.7% during the quarter, up from 39.3% in the previous quarter. The agriculture sector remained a significant source of rural employment, representing 58.5% of employed individuals aged 15 and above during the quarter.
