Marginal increase in unemployment rate: govt. report

According to the Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS) published by the Office for National Statistics on Friday, May 15, 2026, the unemployment rate for people aged 15 and over in the country stood at 5.2% in April.

The unemployment rate (UR) was 4.6% in rural areas and 6.6% in urban areas.

The recorded RI or unemployment for March 2026 and April 2025 was 5.1%.

While urban UR was observed as 6.8% in March 2026, rural UR was 4.3% in the same period.

While rural RI for men aged 15 and over is 4.7%, this rate is 4.4% for rural women in the same age group. While RI was 8.5% among urban women, this rate was 5.9% among men.

In April, the Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) of people aged 15 and over was announced as 55%. The LFPR in rural and urban areas was found to be 57.5% and 50.1% respectively.

The labor force participation rate among rural men (15 years and above) was 78.1% in April, and for rural women it was 38.2%. The LFPR in rural and urban areas was found to be 57.5% and 50.1% respectively.

While the labor force participation rate among rural men was 78.1% in April, this rate was 38.2% for rural women.

The survey stated, “While the labor force participation rate among women in urban areas was 25.0% in April, this rate was 75.2% for men.”

The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for people aged 15 years and above at the all-India level was 52.2% in April; 54.9% reported in rural areas and 46.8% in urban areas.

“Among rural males aged 15 years and above, the WPR was 74.5% in April. For females in rural areas, the WPR was found to be 36.5%. In urban areas, the WPR among females during the same period was 22.9% compared to the 70.7% observed among males,” PLFS said.