Written by Siddharth UpasaniDecember 15, 2025 08:30 PM IST 3 min readAt 4.7 per cent, the November unemployment rate for Indians aged 15 years and above is the lowest since MoSPI started releasing monthly jobs data starting from April as part of a revamped survey design. (Image: Modified using AI for better resolution)India’s unemployment rate dropped to a new low of 4.7 per cent in November, according to the statistics ministry’s latest monthly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report published on Monday. Joblessness fell sharply from 5.2 per cent in October even as the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) rose from the previous month.“Overall, the trends suggest strengthening labour market conditions, supported by gains in rural employment, rising female participation, and a gradual recovery in urban labour demand,” the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) said in a statement. At 4.7 per cent, the November unemployment rate for Indians aged 15 years and above is the lowest since MoSPI started releasing monthly jobs data starting from April as part of a revamped survey design.The statistics ministry has previously cautioned that changes in the monthly PLFS ratios do not necessarily reflect “secular trends” as they were to be expected on account of the increased frequency of the survey as well as seasonal, academic, and labour market factors.The monthly jobs data is based on the Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach. Under this approach, the activity status of a person is measured for the seven days preceding the date of survey.Driving the unemployment rate lower in November was a 50-basis-point (bps) decline in the rural and urban rates to 3.9 per cent and 6.5 per cent, respectively. When compared to data for April – when the monthly PLFS data began – the all-India unemployment rate was 40 bps lower in November. However, urban unemployment was the same at 6.5 per cent, while rural unemployment was down 60 bps from 4.5 per cent.In terms of the gender, male joblessness declined 50 bps from October to 4.6 per cent, while female unemployment was down 60 bps at 4.8 per cent even as the latter’s LFPR rose sharply to 35.1 per cent in November from 34.2 per cent the previous month. The male LFPR was unchanged at 77.4 per cent.The LFPR is the fraction of the population that is seeking work. The all-India LFPR of 55.8 per cent is the highest as per the available monthly data.Story continues below this adDemographically, youth unemployment fell significantly in November to 14.1 per cent from 14.9 per cent in October. At 14.1 per cent, joblessness among those aged 15-29 years is the lowest after April’s 13.8 per cent.Rural areas led the fall in youth unemployment, with the rate falling 80 bps to 12.4 per cent even as the rural youth LFPR rose 50 bps to 42.2 per cent in November. In contrast, urban youth unemployment fell 60 bps to 17.8 per cent because fewer youngsters were looking for jobs in November. The urban youth LFPR decreased 50 bps to 40.9 per cent, the data showed.Siddharth Upasani is a Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express. He reports primarily on data and the economy, looking for trends and changes in the former which paint a picture of the latter. Before The Indian Express, he worked at Moneycontrol and financial newswire Informist (previously called Cogencis). Outside of work, sports, fantasy football, and graphic novels keep him busy. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:unemployment