Parliament Question: Unemployment rate

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 745 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05TH FEBRUARY, 2026 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 745. SHRI JAVED ALI KHAN: Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether as per the periodic labour force survey, unemployment rate in India during December, 2025 has been 4.8 per cent only; (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise; (c) the details of urban and rural unemployment rate in the country, State-wise and gender-wise; and (d) the details of methodology adopted to measure unemployment in these surveys? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE) (a) to (d): 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. As per the latest available 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. Also, the UR has decreased from 5.3% to 2.5% and from 7.7% to 5.1% in rural and urban areas respectively during the same period. Detailed methodology, State/UT-wise & gender-wise information is available in the PLFS reports which may be seen at the website of MoSPI at https://www.mospi.gov.in/publications-reports . Also, MoSPI has revamped PLFS from January 2025. As per monthly PLFS reports, the Unemployment Rate (UR) on Current Weekly Status (CWS) for persons of age 15 years and above was 4.8% in December 2025. *****