Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 4: India’s employment landscape has seen a dramatic shift over the past six years, with 16.83 crore new jobs added between 2017–18 and 2023–24, pushing the total number of employed individuals to 64.33 crore, according to the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Reflecting the government’s focus on youth-driven growth and the Viksit Bharat vision, this increase was accompanied by a sharp fall in the unemployment rate—from 6.0% in 2017–18 to just 3.2% in 2023–24.
The labour force has not only grown in numbers but also in participation. The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for people aged 15 and above jumped from 49.8% in 2017–18 to 60.1% in 2023–24. Similarly, the Worker Population Ratio (WPR), which indicates the proportion of employed individuals in the population, climbed from 46.8% to 58.2% in the same period. Both indicators showed positive movement between June and August 2025 as well, reinforcing this upward trend.
Women’s participation in the formal workforce also saw a notable rise, with 1.56 crore more women joining since 2017–18. In the April–June 2025 quarter alone, the agriculture sector remained the largest employer in rural India—engaging 44.6% of men and 70.9% of women—while urban areas were dominated by the services sector, employing over 60% of both men and women.
The average number of employed persons (15 years and older) stood at 56.4 crore during the same quarter, with men comprising 39.7 crore and women 16.7 crore of the workforce.
Formal employment has also grown, with net new subscribers to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) more than doubling—rising from 61.12 lakh in 2018–19 to over 1.29 crore in 2024–25. Meanwhile, self-employment has emerged as a strong trend, increasing from 52.2% in 2017–18 to 58.4% in 2023–24, while casual labour has declined from 24.9% to 19.8%. This shift signals a growing preference for entrepreneurial and independent work, supported by various government schemes.
Officials noted that employment is not just an economic indicator but a social one as well—fueling consumption, driving growth, and fostering stability. For development to be truly inclusive, they emphasized, rising GDP must be matched by the creation of productive, well-paying jobs that improve both income levels and quality of life.