Unemployment Rate
Latest reading: 5.0 % for August 2026 (-0.1 pp MoM).
Unemployment Rate
Share of the labour force aged 15 and above that is unemployed, measured on the Current Weekly Status basis in the monthly PLFS bulletin.
What it means
Share of the labour force aged 15 and above that is unemployed, measured on the Current Weekly Status basis in the monthly PLFS bulletin.
Rural UR 4.1% (lowest since Jan 2026), urban UR 6.8% (up from 6.7%). LFPR rose to 55.6% from 55.4%, WPR to 52.8% from 52.5%. Next release date from MoSPI Advance Release Calendar 2026-27.
Release details
- Category
- EMPLOYMENT
- Frequency
- MONTHLY
- Previous
- 5.1
- Benchmark
- MacroNest anchor: below 5% headline UR
- Released
- 2026-09-15
- Next release
- 2026-10-15
- Source
- MoSPI/NSO — PLFS Monthly Bulletin
Key questions about Unemployment Rate
How is India's unemployment rate measured?
The official rate comes from MoSPI's Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which measures the share of people in the labour force who are willing and available to work but have no work. Private trackers such as CMIE publish higher-frequency estimates using a different survey design, so the numbers often differ.
What is the labour force participation rate and why does it matter?
The labour force participation rate is the share of the working-age population either working or actively looking for work. The unemployment rate can fall simply because discouraged workers stop searching and drop out of the labour force, so reading it alongside participation gives a far more accurate picture of the job market.
What is the current Unemployment Rate?
Unemployment Rate stands at 5.0 % for August 2026, against 5.1 % previously (-0.1 pp MoM). Share of the labour force aged 15 and above that is unemployed, measured on the Current Weekly Status basis in the monthly PLFS bulletin.
Who publishes the Unemployment Rate data?
Unemployment Rate is published by MoSPI/NSO — PLFS Monthly Bulletin on a monthly basis. Release window: 15th of following month. The next update is expected on 2026-10-15.
What is a healthy level for Unemployment Rate?
The reference benchmark used on MacroNest is: MacroNest anchor: below 5% headline UR. The latest reading of 5.0 % is currently assessed as "Easing labour market slack".
Why does Unemployment Rate matter?
Employment indicators show how growth is translating into jobs and household income, the transmission channel that matters most for consumption. Share of the labour force aged 15 and above that is unemployed, measured on the Current Weekly Status basis in the monthly PLFS bulletin.