PLFS Nov 2025: India’s Unemployment Rate Hits New Low of 4.7% as Rural Female Labour Participation Reaches Seven-Month High
SDG 5: Gender Equality | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) | National Statistics Office (NSO)
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for November 2025 indicates a continued strengthening of India’s labour market, with major indicators reaching multi-month highs and lows. The positive trend is visible across both rural and urban areas, driven significantly by the increase in female labour force participation.
Unemployment Rate (UR): The overall Unemployment Rate (UR) for persons aged 15 years and above declined to a new low of 4.7% in November 2025, down from 5.2% in April 2025. The decline was broad-based: overall female UR fell from 9.7% (April 2025) to 8.0% (November 2025), and overall male UR fell from 5.2% to 4.5% over the same period.
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): The overall LFPR (persons 15+ years) rose to a seven-month high of 55.8% in November 2025.
Female Labour Absorption: The rural female LFPR maintained its steady upward trend, increasing from 35.2% in June 2025 to a high of 39.7% in November 2025. Correspondingly, the rural female Worker Population Ratio (WPR) saw a notable rise to 38.4% in November 2025, contributing to an overall female WPR of 33.4%.
What is the Worker Population Ratio (WPR)? The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) is a key labour market indicator defined as the percentage of the population employed. A rising WPR, such as the overall ratio hitting 53.2% in November 2025, is a strong indicator of economic growth and job creation, showing that a larger proportion of the working-age population is finding work.
Policy Relevance
The continuous decline in unemployment and the simultaneous rise in the WPR, particularly the sustained upward momentum in rural female labour participation, reflect robust job absorption capacity in non-farm sectors across the country. This trend validates policy focus on boosting economic activity in rural areas and formalizing employment opportunities. The policy imperative now shifts to ensuring that the newly integrated female workforce is provided with adequate skills and infrastructure to transition from low-productivity to high-productivity, sustainable employment.
Follow the full report here: Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Monthly Bulletin Nov 2025