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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2338
TO BE ANSWERED ON 12TH MARCH, 2026
MEASURING UNEMPLOYMENT
2338. SHRI JAVED ALI KHAN:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether unemployment rate in India has risen to 5 per cent among
youth aged fifteen years and above during January, 2026, as per
Government’s survey released on 16th February, 2026;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
(c) whether Government is aware that almost every household has an
unemployed youth aged 18 to 32 years in urban and rural areas;
(d) if so, the methodology being used to measure unemployment which
restricts it upto 4 to 5 per cent;
(e) whether Government would revise its methodology to measure
unemployment as the same is unrealistic and shows reduced
unemployment; and
(f) if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (f): The official data on Employment and Unemployment is collected
through Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which is conducted by Ministry
of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18.
Also, MoSPI has revamped PLFS from January 2025. The PLFS has been
conducted on annual basis since 2017 and with quarterly urban estimates
from 2018. Additionally, monthly as well as quarterly rural estimates are
released by MoSPI since January, 2025. Changes are expected in the monthly
PLFS ratios due to increased frequency and seasonal changes but do not
necessarily reflect secular trends. Detailed methodology is available in the
PLFS reports which may be seen at the website of MoSPI at
https://www.mospi.gov.in/publications-reports .
As per the latest Annual PLFS reports, the estimated Unemployment
Rate (UR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above has
decreased from 6.0% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24 in the country. Also, the
UR on usual status for youth of age 15-29 years has decreased from 17.8% to
10.2% during the same period.
Further, the UR on usual status for youth of age 15-29 years has
decreased from 16.6% in 2017-18 to 8.5% in 2023-24 in the rural areas and
from 20.6% to 14.7% during the same period in the urban areas of the country.
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