The National Statistical Office (NSO) has
released the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Monthly Bulletin for September
2025.The objective of this report is to provide monthly estimates of key
employment and unemployment indicators across India.The September 2025 PLFS
bulletin marks the sixth monthly release under the revamped survey design
initiated in January 2025.This redesigned PLFS follows a rotational panel
sampling method, where each selected household is surveyed four times over four
consecutive months to generate reliable monthly and quarterly labour market
estimates.The report shows a consistent rise in labour force participation,
especially among rural women, which has strengthened overall female workforce
participation for the third consecutive month.
The overall Labour Force Participation Rate
(LFPR) has reached a five-month high, while the Worker Population Ratio (WPR)
also shows the highest level since May 2025.A slight uptick in the Unemployment
Rate (UR) was observed in September 2025, mainly due to increases in both rural
and urban unemployment among men and women.The findings indicate that India’s
rural economy is absorbing more female workers, reflecting a broader trend of
economic inclusion and resilience in rural labour markets.
Key Highlights of
the Survey
Labour Force
Participation Rate (LFPR)
¨
The LFPR
represents the proportion of the population (aged 15 years and above) that is
either employed or actively seeking employment. It measures the active
participation of the working-age population in the labour market.
¨ The overall LFPR increased to 55.3% in
September 2025, marking a continued upward trend for the third consecutive
month.
¨ The LFPR in rural areas rose from 56.1% in
June 2025 to 57.4% in September 2025, reflecting stronger participation in
agricultural and non-farm activities.
¨ The LFPR in urban areas remained steady at
50.9%.
¨
The
female LFPR, driven by rural participation, reached 34.1%, the highest since
May 2025. Rural female LFPR increased from 35.2% in June 2025 to 37.9% in
September 2025, showing consistent month-on-month growth.
Worker Population
Ratio (WPR)
¨
The WPR
indicates the proportion of the working-age population that is employed,
reflecting the actual extent of employment among those aged 15 years and above.
¨ The overall WPR stood at 52.4%, the highest
level since May 2025.
¨ Rural WPR rose to 54.8%, while urban WPR was
47.4%, showing a higher employment intensity in rural areas.
¨ The increase in overall WPR was mainly driven
by the steady growth of the female workforce in rural India.
¨
Rural
female WPR improved from 33.6% in June 2025 to 36.3% in September 2025, marking
three consecutive months of increase.
Unemployment Rate
(UR)
¨
The UR
measures the proportion of the labour force that is unemployed but actively
seeking or available for work. It reflects the demand-supply balance in the
labour market.
¨ The overall UR increased slightly to 5.2% in
September 2025 from 5.1% in August 2025.
¨ The UR in rural areas rose to 4.6%, while in
urban areas it reached 6.8%.
¨ Among urban females, unemployment increased
to 9.3% from 8.9% in August 2025, indicating continued challenges in female
urban employment.
¨
Male
unemployment rates also increased moderately in both rural (4.7%) and urban
(6.0%) regions after a temporary decline in August 2025.
Significance of the
Report
¨
This
report reflects India’s post-pandemic labour market recovery and the
strengthening of rural economic activities.
¨ The steady rise in rural female participation
highlights improving gender inclusion in productive work and economic
empowerment in rural areas.
¨ Monthly estimates enable timely monitoring of
employment trends, supporting evidence-based policy formulation and targeted
job creation initiatives.
¨
The PLFS
monthly series enhances the accuracy and responsiveness of labour statistics,
helping align national employment policies with broader goals of inclusive and
sustainable economic growth.
