India’s labour market is coming into sharper local focus, with new district-level estimates showing differences in employment and workforce participation that broader averages can obscure. The National Statistics Office (NSO) has released district-level labour market estimates for the first time under the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), following a January 2025 redesign that made districts the basic survey stratum across most of the country.
The estimates cover labour force participation rate (LFPR), worker population ratio (WPR), unemployment rate (UR) and the share of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET).
The findings show wide district-level variations: around 57.8% of districts recorded female labour force participation of at least 40%, while more than 75% had youth NEET rates below 30%. The survey use the usual status approach, which assesses activity over the preceding 365 days. Employment indicators cover people aged 15 and above, while NEET rates cover those aged 15-29.
Surat leads among 100 most populous districts
For the population aged 15 and above overall, around 52.7% of districts had an LFPR between 60 and 80%, while 44% had a WPR in the same range. Only 0.2% had an LFPR below 40%, and 1% had a WPR below 40%.
Among the 100 most populous districts, Surat in Gujarat recorded the highest LFPR at 68.6%, followed by Araria in Bihar (68%) and Salem in Tamil Nadu (67.8%). In terms of WPR, Surat again led at 67.8%, followed by Araria (67.4%) and Banaskantha in Gujarat (66.6%).
At the other end, Darbhanga in Bihar recorded the lowest levels of both LFPR and WPR among the 100 most populous districts.
Female participation: Wide gaps across states
The female-participation comparison selects the leading districts from each state’s ten largest districts by female population.
Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district recorded a female LFPR of 80.9% and a WPR of 80%. In Jammu and Kashmir, Budgam district recorded a female LFPR of 71.4% and WPR of 69.6%, while Odisha’s Mayurbhanj recorded 71.8% and 71.2% respectively. Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district also recorded relatively high rates, with female LFPR at 69% and WPR at 68%.
Some leaders within these comparison groups recorded much lower rates. East Delhi had a female LFPR of 18.9% and WPR of 15.7%. Bihar’s Siwan district recorded a female LFPR of 24.7% and WPR of 24.3%. Punjab’s Patiala district recorded a female LFPR of 39.3% and WPR of 35.8%.
Other leaders within their respective comparison groups included Sri Satya Sai in Andhra Pradesh (59.1% LFPR, 56.7% WPR), Tinsukia in Assam (66.1% and 64.6%), Kheda in Gujarat (55.6% and 55.4%), Dausa in Rajasthan (60.9% and 59.6%) and Jagtial in Telangana (63.2% and 62.5%).
| Indicator / Group | Key Finding | Notable Districts (with values) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall LFPR & WPR (15+) | 52.7% of districts: LFPR 60–80%; 44%: WPR 60–80%. Only 0.2% districts: LFPR <40%; 1%: WPR <40%. | — |
| Top populous districts – LFPR (15+) | Highest among 100 most populous districts. | Surat (Gujarat) 68.6%; Araria (Bihar) 68.0%; Salem (Tamil Nadu) 67.8%. |
| Top populous districts – WPR (15+) | Highest among 100 most populous districts. | Surat 67.8%; Araria 67.4%; Banaskantha (Gujarat) 66.6%. |
| Lowest among populous districts | Lowest LFPR & WPR among 100 most populous districts. | Darbhanga (Bihar). |
| Female LFPR & WPR – high performers | Leading districts from each state’s 10 largest by female population. | Hamirpur (HP): 80.9% LFPR, 80.0% WPR; Mayurbhanj (Odisha): 71.8%, 71.2%; Budgam (J&K): 71.4%, 69.6%; Surguja (Chhattisgarh): 69.0%, 68.0%. |
| Female LFPR & WPR – low performers | Leading districts but with low female participation. | East Delhi: 18.9% LFPR, 15.7% WPR; Siwan (Bihar): 24.7%, 24.3%; Patiala (Punjab): 39.3%, 35.8%. |
| Other state leaders (female) | Top districts within their comparison groups. | Sri Satya Sai (AP): 59.1%, 56.7%; Tinsukia (Assam): 66.1%, 64.6%; Kheda (Gujarat): 55.6%, 55.4%; Dausa (Rajasthan): 60.9%, 59.6%; Jagtial (Telangana): 63.2%, 62.5%. |
| Unemployment rate (UR) distribution | 77.8% districts: UR 0.5–5.5%; 7.2%: UR <0.5%; 14.9%: UR >5.5%. | — |
| Lowest UR – populous districts | Among 100 most populous districts. | South 24 Parganas (WB) 0.9%; Araria (Bihar) 0.9%; Ahmedabad (Gujarat) 1.1%; Surat, Banaskantha (Gujarat), Bareilly, Bulandshahr (UP) 1.2%; Belagavi (Karnataka), Palghar, Nanded (Maharashtra) 1.5%. |
| NEET (15–29) distribution | >75% districts: NEET <30%. 4.2%: <10%; 26.1%: 10–20%; 45.9%: 20–30%; 23.7%: >30%. | — |
| Lowest NEET – populous districts | Among 100 most populous districts. | Ernakulam (Kerala) 9.6%; Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) 14.5%; Bengaluru (Urban) 15.0%; Ranchi (Jharkhand) 16.5%; Surat (Gujarat) 17.2%. |
| Capital districts – LFPR & WPR | Highest among listed capitals. | Shimla (HP): 70.0% LFPR, 65.1% WPR; Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): 64.4%, 63.2%; Raipur (Chhattisgarh): 61.5%, 59.4%. |
| Capital districts – lowest UR | Among listed capitals. | Thiruvananthapuram 1.9%; Kolkata 1.9%; Bengaluru (Urban) 2.5%. |
| Capital districts – lowest NEET | Among listed capitals. | Srinagar (J&K) 14.3%; Bengaluru (Urban) 15.0%; Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) 15.1%. |
Source: Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation
Unemployment: Most districts in 0.5-5.5% band
About 77.8% of districts recorded unemployment rates in the range of 0.5 to 5.5%. About 7.2% had rates below 0.5%, while 14.9% had rates above 5.5%.
Among the 100 most populous districts, South 24 Parganas in West Bengal and Araria in Bihar both recorded the lowest unemployment rate, at 0.9%. Ahmedabad in Gujarat followed with 1.1%, while Surat, Banaskantha (Gujarat), Bareilly and Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh) each reported 1.2%. Belagavi in Karnataka and Palghar and Nanded in Maharashtra recorded rates of 1.5%.
NSO, MoSPI has released labour market snapshot for selected district for the first time, providing some labour market indicators in selected districts in India
Click on the link below to access the press note:https://t.co/36vllNicsH
For latest updates & insights, visit MoSPI’s…
— Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (@GoIStats) September 18, 2026
NEET rates: Wide variation among districts
More than 75% of districts had NEET rates for the 15-29 age group below 30%. About 4.2% of districts had a NEET rate below 10%, 26.1% were in the 10-20% range, 45.9% were in the 20-30% bracket and 23.7% had rates above 30%.
Among the 100 most populous districts, Ernakulam in Kerala recorded the lowest NEET rate, at 9.6%. Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu followed with 14.5% and Bengaluru (Urban) in Karnataka recorded 15%. Ranchi in Jharkhand reported 16.5%, while Surat in Gujarat recorded 17.2%.
Thrissur in Kerala, Vadodara in Gujarat, Raigad and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra and Ahmedabad in Gujarat also featured among the ten lowest in this group.
Capital districts: Shimla leads participation rankings
Among the capital districts listed in the release, Shimla in Himachal Pradesh recorded the highest LFPR and WPR at 70% and 65.1% respectively. Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala followed with 64.4% and 63.2%, while Raipur in Chhattisgarh recorded 61.5% and 59.4%.
In terms of unemployment, Thiruvananthapuram (1.9%), Kolkata (1.9%) and Bengaluru (Urban) (2.5%) recorded the lowest rates in this comparison. For NEET, Srinagar (14.3%), Bengaluru (Urban) (15%) and Guntur (15.1%) reported the lowest proportions of youth not in employment, education or training.
What the data means for policy
The release of district-level labour market indicators could help policymakers, state governments and researchers identify pockets of low participation, high unemployment and high NEET rates. It could inform skill-development programmes, employment schemes and industrial policies, especially in districts with low female LFPR, high NEET rates or elevated unemployment.
However, the figures alone do not explain why districts differ or establish the quality of jobs available. Employment in the PLFS includes unpaid work in household enterprises. Higher participation therefore needs to be assessed alongside earnings, employment type and other local evidence before drawing policy lessons.
Methodology and limits
The move to district-level estimates marks an important shift in how India measures its labour market. Earlier PLFS rounds used NSS regions as the basic stratum, which meant estimates were not designed to be representative at the district level.
From 2025, the survey was restructured to produce monthly estimates for rural and urban areas at the all-India level under current weekly status (CWS), quarterly estimates covering both rural and urban areas under CWS and annual estimates under both usual status and CWS.
These are objectives of the wider PLFS redesign and should not be read as a promise of monthly district-level estimates.
The shift also moved India’s survey cycle from the July-June agricultural year to the January-December calendar year, which the NSO said would align reporting with international practice.