By Dr. Gyan Pathak
Unemployment rate in urban areas in India has continued to rise in the fourth month in a row in July 2025 and stood as high as 7.2 per cent, as against 6.5 per cent in April. It rose to 6.9 per cent in May, and 7.1 per cent in July in Current Weekly Status (CWS). Female unemployment rate in July was 8.7 per cent in urban areas, which is at the same level as of April.
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) monthly bulletin for July 2025, has found that the unemployment rate among the youth of the age ground 15-29 was as high as 14.9 per cent in CWS. Female youth unemployment rate was higher at 16.7 per cent as against 14.3 per cent among male.
The unemployment rate in rural and urban areas has wide difference. Unemployment rate in the rural areas was 4.4 per cent while in urban areas it was 7.2 per cent. Thus, the combined unemployment rate for the country, both in the urban and rural areas, stood at 5.2 per cent in the country, as against 5.1 per cent in April.
Unemployment rate among rural male of age 15 years and above was4.6% during July, 2025. For rural female of the same age group unemployment rate was found to be3.9%. In urban areas unemployment rate among female of age 15years and above during July,2025 was 8.7% compared to6.6% observed for male of the same age group.
As for the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), it stood at 54.9% in July 2025 in CWS for persons of age 15 years and above. In rural areas it was 56.9% and while it was 50.7% in urban areas. LFPR among rural male of age 15 years and above was 78.1% during July, 2025. For rural female of the same age group, it was found to be 36.9%.In urban areas LFPR among female of age 15years and above was 25.8%compared to 75.1%observed for male of the same age group.
LFPR in CWS among persons of age 15-29 was 41.2 per cent in July 2025. For the male it was 60.9 per cent while for female it was only 21.1 per cent. It goes without saying the female youth workforce are at receiving end, which signifies that the government policies are not yet encouraging for the women, thought the government goes on telling the country about the youth and female empowerment.
It may look strange that despite the Kharif season with increased agricultural activities, LFPR in rural areas has been declined to 56.9 per cent in July from 58 per cent in April. There is very dismal scenario for female workforce since female LFPR in April was 38.2 per cent which further declined to 36.9 per cent in July. Very wide gap persists between male and female LFPR in the rural area. Male LFPR in July was 78.1 per cent that has declined from 79 per cent in April.
Situation in the urban areas is still dismal, as far as LFPR is concerned. It is stagnated at 50.7 per cent in July as against the same level in April. There is wide gender gap, even sharper than in the rural areas. There is almost stagnation in the urban areas. Female LFPR in July was 25.8 per cent as against 25.7 per cent in April. Male LFPR for these months were 75.1 and 75.3 per cent respectively.
Gender gap between at all India level is quite high. Female LFPR stood at 33.3 per cent in July and male LFPR at 77.1 per cent, which were lower from April data at 34.2 per cent and 77.7 per cent respectively.
Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in CWS for persons of age 15 years and above in the country stood at 52.0% in July 2025. In rural areas it was54.4% while it was47.0% in urban areas.WPR among rural male of age 15 years and above was 74.5%. For rural female of the same age group, it was found to be35.5%. In urban areas WPR among female of age 15years and above was 23.5% compared to 70.1% observed for male of the same age group. Thus, WPR also shows a huge gender gap.
WPR among youth between the age group 15-29 years for July, 2025 presents even more dismal picture. WPR for youth stood at only 35.1 per cent, for female 17.6 per cent, and for male 52.1 per cent.
Gender gap remains starker in urban areas than in the rural areas, so far as WPR is concerned. WPR among female was 23.5 per cent in July, at the same level of April in the urban areas. Male WPR in April was 71 per cent while it declined to 70.1 per cent in July. The gender gap in urban areas was worse than in rural areas. In rural areas female WPR stood at 35.5 per cent in July less than 36.8 per cent in April, while these ware 74.5 per cent and 75.1 per cent respectively for males.
The combined WPR has declined from 52.8 per cent in April to 52 per cent in July. The combined gender gap is very wide with male WPR in July at 73 per cent and female WPR at 31.6 per cent.
These data show that nothing is working for the workforce. Unemployment refuses to decline, while LFPR and WPR has almost stagnated or declined in the country in the last four months. (IPA Service)
