Joblessness steady in June, but fewer queries for jobs

Seasonal factors again weighed on India's labour market in June as the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.6%, although the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) declined to 54.2% in June from 54.8% in May, suggesting fewer people looked for jobs last month.

- SIDDHARTH UPASANI

SEASONAL FACTORS AGAIN weighed on India's labour market in June as the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.6%, although the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) declined to 54.2% in June from 54.8% in May, suggesting fewer people looked for jobs last month.

According to the Statistics Ministry's latest monthly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report, released on Tuesday, while the unemployment rate (UR) for Indians aged 15 years and above was flat month-on-month in June at 5.6%, there was a marginal decline in UR to 5.6% from 5.8% in May for females, while that for males remained at 5.6%.

The monthly jobs data is based on the Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach.

Under this approach, the activity status of a person is measured for the seven days preceding the date of survey.

Although the headline unemployment number was steady, the figures for rural and urban areas moved in opposite directions.