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India's unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years or above declined to 3.1 per cent in 2023, the lowest in the last three years, as per a report by the National Sample Survey Organisation under the statistics ministry.  The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for the calendar year 2023 indicates a positive trend, showcasing a decline from 3.6% in 2022 and 4.2% in 2021.

Key-highlights of the Data

• The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for the calendar year 2023 shows the unemployment rate came down to 3.1 per cent in 2023 from 3.6 per cent in 2022 and 4.2 per cent in 2021.
• The employment situation is improving after the Covid pandemic hit the country.
• Gender-wise data:
  • For females, the unemployment rate declined to 3 per cent in 2023 from 3.3 per cent in 2022 and 3.4 per cent in 2021.
  • For males, it came down to 3.2 per cent in 2023 from 3.7 per cent in 2022 and 4.5 per cent in 2021.
• Region-wise data
  • In Urban areas: The overall rate of unemployment also declined to 5.2 per cent in 2023 from 5.7 per cent in 2022 and 6.5 per cent 2021.
  • In rural areas: It came down to 2.4 per cent in 2023 from 2.8 per cent in 2022 and 3.3 per cent in 2021.
• Labour force participation rate (LFPR) in Current Weekly Status (CWS) in urban areas for people aged 15 years and above increased to 56.2 per cent in 2023 from 52.8 per cent in 2022 and 51.8 per cent in 2021.