The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the first-ever district-level labour market data for India. The figures come from the redesigned Periodic Labour Force Survey, which shifted to a district-based sampling structure from January 2025. The snapshot covers employment, unemployment and participation rates across hundreds of districts nationwide.
What the data shows
The survey measured four main indicators: Labour Force Participation Rate (the share of people working or seeking work), Worker Population Ratio (share of employed people), Unemployment Rate, and NEET (youth aged 15-29 not in employment, education or training).
Among the 100 most populous districts, Surat in Gujarat led in both labour force participation (68.6%) and employment rates (67.8%). Darbhanga in Bihar recorded the lowest rates in both measures. South Twenty-Four Parganas in West Bengal and Araria in Bihar tied for the lowest unemployment rate at 0.9%.
For young people aged 15-29, Ernakulam in Kerala showed the lowest NEET rate at 9.6%, followed by Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu at 14.5% and Bengaluru Urban in Karnataka at 15.0%.
Across all districts, around 57.8% recorded female labour force participation rates of 40% or above. Among state capitals, Shimla in Himachal Pradesh topped both participation and employment measures, while unemployment remained low in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and Kolkata in West Bengal.
Nearly 77% of all districts had unemployment rates between 0.5% and 5.5%. For youth NEET rates, nearly three-quarters of districts recorded rates below 30%, though 23.7% of districts showed rates above 30%.
What this means for you
If you live in or are considering work in districts like Surat, Ernakulam or Coimbatore, the data suggests stronger labour markets with higher employment and lower youth joblessness. Conversely, districts with higher NEET rates or lower participation may face tighter job markets. Researchers, policymakers and job seekers can now access employment conditions by district rather than only at state or regional levels, allowing for more targeted analysis of local labour market conditions.