**Executive Summary**
The Monthly Bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for March 2026, released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation on April 15, 2026, provides key labor market indicators for persons aged 15 and above. Using the Current Weekly Status approach, the report highlights an overall Labour Force Participation Rate of 55.4% and an Unemployment Rate of 5.1%. This twelfth bulletin in the series tracks monthly trends, noting broad stability in urban employment and a slight increase in the national unemployment rate.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Survey Overview and Methodology**
* The PLFS is conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) to provide primary data on employment and unemployment conditions.
* The methodology was updated in January 2025 to facilitate the release of monthly and quarterly estimates.
* The March 2026 estimates are based on a survey of 375,262 persons (213,984 in rural areas and 161,278 in urban areas).
**Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)**
* The overall LFPR decreased to 55.4% in March 2026, down from 55.9% in February 2026.
* Female LFPR saw a marginal decline to 34.4% from the previous month's 35.3%.
* Rural LFPR fell from 58.7% to 58.0%, while the urban LFPR remained stable at 50.3%.
**Worker Population Ratio (WPR)**
* The national WPR for March 2026 was estimated at 52.6%.
* Urban WPR showed stability at 46.8%, compared to 47.0% in February.
* Rural WPR was reported at 55.5%, representing a decline from 56.3% in the preceding month.
**Unemployment Rate (UR)**
* The overall UR rose to 5.1% in March 2026 from 4.9% in February 2026.
* This increase was primarily influenced by the urban UR, which edged up from 6.6% to 6.8%.
* While the UR for rural females remained stable, the UR for rural males increased marginally.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) / NSO**
**Impact**
Responsible for maintaining the frequency and accuracy of labor data under the modified 2025 methodology.
**Action Required**
Must continue the monthly release cycle and ensure data accessibility via the official website and QR code systems.
**Government Policymakers**
**Impact**
The data reveals a slight upward trend in unemployment and a marginal decline in female labor participation, which may influence employment strategies.
**Action Required**
Review the drivers behind the increased urban unemployment rate and the decline in rural participation to adjust economic policies accordingly.
**General Public and Researchers**
**Impact**
Stakeholders gain access to transparent, updated national labor indicators to track economic health.
**Action Required**
Utilize the provided bulletin and online reports for independent analysis of labor market participation and employment trends.
Key Entities Referenced
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): The primary source of data on activity participation, employment, and unemployment conditions in India, providing monthly and quarterly labour force indicator estimates.
Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI): The nodal ministry responsible for the release and publication of the Monthly Bulletin of Periodic Labour Force Survey.
National Statistical Office (NSO): The statistical body under MoSPI responsible for conducting the Periodic Labour Force Survey.
Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach: The specific survey methodology followed to estimate key labour market indicators such as LFPR, WPR, and UR at the all-India level.
Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation
MONTHLY BULLETIN OF PERIODIC LABOUR
FORCE SURVEY (PLFS)
Urban LFPR and Urban WPR showed broad stability
Rural UR for female almost at same level
Posted On: 15 APR 2026 4:00PM by PIB Delhi
Snapshot:
Overall LFPR (15+ years) reported as 55.4% in March, 2026 compared to 55.9% in
February, 2026.
Female LFPR (15+ years) estimated at 34.4% in March, 2026; declined marginally from
February, 2026 (35.3%).
The overall WPR (15+ years) stood at 52.6% in March, 2026.
Urban WPR (15+ years) remained broadly unchanged in March, 2026 for both male and
female.
Overall UR (15+ years) estimated at 5.1% in March, 2026.
A. Introduction
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by NSO, MoSPI, is the primary source of data on
activity participation and employment and unemployment conditions of the population. The PLFS survey
methodology has been modified from January, 2025 to provide monthly and quarterly estimates of labour
force indicators for the country.
Monthly results of PLFS are released in the form of Monthly Bulletins. It presents estimates of key labour
market indicators viz. Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR) and
Unemployment Rate (UR) at the all-India level following the Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach.
The Monthly Bulletins for April, 2025 to February, 2026 have already been released. The present Monthly
Bulletin for March, 2026 is the twelfth in the series.
Key findings for persons of age 15 years and above following CWS:Urban Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) shows steady trend:
The overall LFPR among persons of age 15 years and above reported as 55.4% in March, 2026. Rural
LFPR was 58.0% in March, 2026 as compared to 58.7% in February, 2026 while urban LFPR
remained almost stable during this period.
Urban LFPR broadly unchanged at 50.3% in March, 2026
Overall Female labour force participation declined marginally:
Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in March, 2026 was reported as 34.4%, against 35.3%
in February, 2026. Female LFPR in rural areas was found as 38.9% in March, 2026, while the same
stood at 25.2% in urban areas during the month.
Female labour force participation reported as 34.4% in March, 2026
Urban WPR levels remained stable:
The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in the age group 15 years and above remained broadly stable in
urban areas in March, 2026. The overall WPR was estimated at 52.6% in March, 2026. In rural areas,
WPR stood at 55.5% in March, 2026 as compared to 56.3% in February, 2026 while WPR in urban
areas observed as 46.8% in March, 2026, against 47.0% in February, 2026.Urban WPR remained stable in March, 2026
Unemployment Rate (UR) showed a modest increase:The UR among persons of age 15 years and above rose slightly to 5.1% in March, 2026 from 4.9% in February, 2026 mainly
driven by urban UR which edged up from 6.6% in February, 2026 to 6.8% in March, 2026.
Overall Unemployment Rate (UR) stood at 5.1% in March, 2026
Female UR in rural areas remains almost stable:
Among rural female aged 15 years and above, the UR remained almost stable in March, 2026,
whereas the male UR in the same age group was marginally high in March, 2026 in comparison to
February, 2026.Female Unemployment Rate (UR) in rural areas remains stable in March, 2026
At the all-India level, the monthly estimates are based on information collected from a total
number of 3,75,262 persons surveyed.
persons surveyed in rural areas persons surveyed in urban areas
2,13,984 1,61,278
The Monthly Bulletin for March, 2026 is Scan QR code to access MoSPI Publications/
available on the Ministry's website (https://w Reports
ww.mospi.gov.in).
Click here to see pdf
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