Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, May 16: In a significant move towards real-time employment tracking, the Government of India has, for the first time, released monthly unemployment figures. As per data shared by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the country’s unemployment rate for April 2025 stood at 5.1 per cent.

This marks the inaugural release of monthly data under the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which previously offered insights on a quarterly and annual basis. The latest update reflects employment patterns based on the Current Weekly Status (CWS), providing a more immediate snapshot of the labour market.

The report revealed that unemployment among men was slightly higher at 5.2 per cent, while the rate among women stood at 5 per cent. The data further highlighted that joblessness among the youth (aged 15-29) was alarmingly high at 13.8 per cent.

Urban India continued to face more challenges on the employment front, with the unemployment rate pegged at 17.2 per cent, significantly higher than the 12.3 per cent recorded in rural areas.

The government also released figures on the Worker Population Ratio (WPR), which measures the proportion of employed individuals among the total population aged 15 years and above. Rural areas reported a WPR of 55.4 per cent, while urban regions trailed behind at 47.4 per cent. The overall national WPR was recorded at 52.8 per cent for April.

The introduction of monthly PLFS is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening labour market policies, enabling more responsive and timely interventions in addressing employment challenges across India.