India's Labour Force Participation Rate Falls to 54.4% in May as Unemployment Hits 5.5%
Updated
Updated · IndexBox, Inc. · Jun 15
India's Labour Force Participation Rate Falls to 54.4% in May as Unemployment Hits 5.5%
3 articles · Updated · IndexBox, Inc. · Jun 15
Summary
India's labour force participation rate slipped to 54.4% in May from 55.0% in April and 54.8% a year earlier, according to the latest PLFS monthly bulletin.
Worker population ratio also weakened to 51.4% from 52.2% in April, reinforcing signs of softer labour demand as fewer people were working or seeking work.
Unemployment stood at 5.5% overall, with rural joblessness rising to 5.1% from 4.6% while urban unemployment eased to 6.4% from 6.6%—its lowest since May 2025.
Female labour force participation was 32.8%, with urban female participation largely flat at 24.8% month on month but down 0.5 percentage point from a year earlier.
The statistics office said the moderation in participation and employment, alongside higher unemployment, may reflect seasonal slowing in economic activity.