According to the Periodic Labor Force Survey or PLFS, released on Thursday by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MOSPI), the unemployment rate among persons aged 15 years and above increased marginally to 4.8 per cent in December 2025, compared to 4.7 per cent in November 2025. The unemployment rate in rural areas remained stable at 3.9 percent. The unemployment rate in urban areas increased to 6.7 percent, which was 6.5 percent in November. Similarly, the unemployment rate among rural males remained stable and low, at 4.1 percent. At the same time, the unemployment rate among urban women decreased to 9.1 percent, whereas it was 9.3 percent in November. Unemployment rates for other gender groups increased slightly, but remained below mid-year levels.
worker population ratio
The labor population ratio among people aged 15 and above saw a gradual improvement in December. According to the latest data, the labor population ratio among rural males increased to 76 percent (75.4 percent in November). The worker population ratio among urban males declined to 70.4 percent (70.9 percent in November), leaving the overall male worker population ratio at 74.1 percent. The worker population ratio among rural women increased marginally to 38.6 percent (38.4 percent in November). The worker population ratio among urban women was about 23 percent. This resulted in total female worker population ratio of 33.6 percent and total male worker population ratio of 53.4 percent, which was 33.4 percent and 53.2 percent respectively in November.
labor force participation rate
An increase was also seen in the labor force participation rate among people aged 15 and above. The total labor force participation rate increased to 56.1 percent (55.8 percent in November). The rural labor force participation rate was 59 percent and the urban labor force participation rate was 50.2 percent. The overall labor force participation rate for women increased to 35.3 percent (35.1 percent in November). The rural female labor force participation rate was 40.1 percent and the urban female labor force participation rate was 25.3 percent.
basis of survey
According to the news, these figures for December 2025 are based on a survey of 3,73,990 people. Labor population ratio means how many people are employed in the total population. Keeping in view the need for high-frequency labor force indicators, the sampling methodology of the Periodic Labor Force Survey has been redesigned with effect from January 2025. Monthly bulletins for April to November 2025 have already been issued and this bulletin for December 2025 is the ninth edition of the series.
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