Rural unemployment rate increased to 4.6% in April from 4.3% a month earlier, while the urban jobless rate eased to a 12-month low of 6.6%, compared with 6.8% in March. The easing in urban unemployment was particularly noticeable among women. Urban female unemployment declined to 8.5% in April from 9% in March, reaching a one-year low. Urban male unemployment also fell to 5.9% from 6.1% in March.
Women continued to face higher unemployment, with a rate of 5.4% compared to 5.1% for men, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
The data covers individuals aged 15 years and above who were unemployed but actively seeking work. It is based on the current weekly status (CWS), which measures employment or job-seeking activity over the seven days preceding the survey.
Youth unemployment (15-29 years) edged up to 15.3% in April from 15.2% in March. The rate for young men declined slightly to 14.1% from 14.3%, while for young women it increased sharply to 18.7% from 17.7%.
The survey covered 88,944 households and 374,243 individuals across rural and urban areas.
Labour force participation largely stable
The labour force participation rate (LFPR), the share of the population working or seeking work, remained broadly steady, though it slipped to an eight-month low of 55% in April from 55.4% in March.Male participation dipped marginally to 77.1% from 77.4%, while the female LFPR fell to an eight-month low of 33.9% from 34.4%.
In rural areas, LFPR dropped to 57.5% from 58%, while in urban areas it declined marginally to 50.1% from 50.3%.
Youth participation also weakened, with LFPR falling to 41.2% in April from 41.6% the month before. Among young men, it declined to 60.4% from 60.9%, while for young women it slipped to 21.9% from 22.3%.
Meanwhile, the worker population ratio (WPR), or employment rate, decreased to 52.2% in April from 52.6% in March. Male and female WPR slipped to 73.2% and 32.1%, respectively.