PLFS Oct–Dec 2025: Sustained Momentum in Female Participation and Declining Unemployment
SDG 5: Gender Equality | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
National Statistical Office (NSO) | Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Quarterly Bulletin for October–December 2025 shows that India’s labour market continues to show a positive trajectory, characterized by a resilient rise in workforce participation and a steady decline in unemployment rates . The overall Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for persons aged 15 and above increased to 55.8%, reflecting an upward shift from 55.1% in the previous quarter. This expansion is significantly bolstered by the notable rise in female LFPR, which climbed to 34.9%, driven largely by a surge in rural participation to 39.4%. Concurrently, the unemployment rate (UR) saw a broad-based decline, falling to 4.0% in rural areas and 6.7% in urban sectors, signaling improved absorption of the labour force across the economy.
Structural Dynamics of Employment and Sectoral Trends The redesigned PLFS methodology, revamped in January 2025, provides a high-frequency lens into the shifting status of Indian workers under the Current Weekly Status (CWS) framework:
Expansion of the Rural Workforce: The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in rural areas maintained a steady upward trend for both genders, reaching an overall 56.1% in the current quarter.
Sectoral Concentration: Rural employment remains heavily concentrated in the agriculture sector, which accounts for 58.5% of workers. In contrast, the urban workforce remains primarily engaged in the tertiary sector, which supports 61.9% of urban employment.
Modest Growth in Self-Employment: The share of self-employed workers witnessed a slight increase to 63.2% in rural areas and 39.7% in urban areas, indicating a sustained reliance on independent economic activities.
Absolute Workforce Estimates: For the first time, estimates in absolute terms indicate that approximately 57.4 crore persons were employed during this quarter, comprising 40.2 crore males and 17.2 crore females.
What is the “Current Weekly Status” (CWS) framework in Indian labour statistics? The Current Weekly Status (CWS) is a methodology used to determine a person’s activity status based on a short reference period of the last seven days. Under CWS, a person is considered employed if they worked for at least one hour on any day during the reference week. This framework, which now informs monthly and quarterly indicators for both rural and urban India, provides a more dynamic and “real-time” view of labour market conditions compared to the long-term “Usual Status” approach, allowing policymakers to track seasonal fluctuations and rapid shifts in employment.
Policy Relevance
The Q3 2025 PLFS data represents a transition from long-term employment snapshots to high-frequency, data-driven workforce monitoring. By institutionalizing monthly and quarterly estimates for both rural and urban sectors under the CWS framework, MoSPI is providing the granular evidence needed for the Ministry of Labour and NITI Aayog to calibrate social security and skill development interventions in real-time.
Scaling Female Economic Empowerment: The sustained momentum in female LFPR, particularly in rural India, provides a strong mandate for the Ministry of Women and Child Development to further expand the “Care Economy” and rural livelihood missions.
Addressing Urban Unemployment: While urban UR has declined to 6.7%, it remains significantly higher than rural rates, necessitating targeted urban-centric job creation and apprenticeships by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Refining Rural Diversification: The continued dominance of agriculture (58.5%) highlights the importance of the Ministry of Rural Development in promoting non-farm employment through initiatives like the PM-KUSUM and rural industrial clusters.
Formalizing Self-Employment: The high share of self-employed workers (63.2% rural) emphasizes the critical role of the Ministry of MSME in providing credit linkages and formalization support to the independent workforce.
Precision in Welfare Planning: The transition to providing absolute estimates (57.4 crore employed) allows for more accurate fiscal allocations for workforce-related social protection schemes by the Ministry of Finance.
Follow the full report here: MoSPI: Periodic Labour Force Survey Quarterly Bulletin (Oct-Dec 2025)