Delhi: The unemployment rate for the age group 15 years and above fell to an eight-month low of 4.7% in November from 5.2% in the
previous month, while the overall labor force participation rate (LFPR) for the same age group rose to a seven-month high of 55.8% during the month.
The monthly bulletin of the Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS) for November, released on Monday, showed that the rural unemployment rate fell to a new low of 3.9%, while the urban unemployment rate fell to 6.5%, touching its previous low in April. The monthly PLFS bulletin began in April.
The data showed a decline in the unemployment rate by gender and segments. Unemployment rates for both men and women aged 15 and over fell in November. For women, it fell to 4.8% in November, compared to 5.4% in October. The decline was due to the decline in both rural and urban female unemployment rates, which fell from 4% to 3.4% and 9.7% to 9.3%, respectively.
The overall male unemployment rate fell to 4.6% in November from 5.1% in October. Broken down by sector, the male unemployment rate in rural and urban areas was 4.1% and 5.6%, respectively, in November, compared to 4.6% and 6.1%, respectively, in the previous month, according to data released by the statistics office.
“Unemployment rates recorded a steady and broad decline for men, women and all persons from April to November 2025. The decline was more pronounced in rural areas, where both men’s and women’s unemployment reached their lowest levels in November,” the statistics office said in a statement.
“Urban unemployment remained higher but showed improvement towards the end of the period. Overall, trends point to improving labor
market conditions, supported by increases in rural employment, increasing female participation and a gradual recovery in urban labor demand,” it added.
The data showed that overall LFPR among those aged 15 and over rose to 55.8% in November, the highest since April. The increase was largely driven by rural areas, where it rose to 58.6% in November from 58.0% in April. Compared to the previous month, the rural LFPR increased from 57.8%, while the urban LFPR decreased slightly from 50.5% to 50.4%, the survey results showed.
