New Delhi: Overall unemployment among persons aged 15 years and above fell marginally to 4.9 percent in February from 5 percent in January this year, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released on Monday.
After an increase in January 2026, the urban unemployment rate (UR) among persons aged 15 years and above declined to 6.6 per cent in February 2026, falling below the December 2025 level (6.7%), the survey stated.
Follow The PSUWatch Channel on WhatsApp
Rural UR remained unchanged at 4.2 percent in February 2026.
In February 2026, the overall unemployment rate (UR) among females aged 15 years and above declined to 5.1 percent, compared to 5.6 percent in January, 2026. Decline was observed in both rural and urban areas.
The urban female UR decreased from 9.8 percent in January 2026 to 8.7 percent in February 2026, while the rural female UR declined from 4.3 percent to 4.0 percent during the same period.
The overall male UR remained stable at 4.8 percent.
The overall Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) among persons of age 15 years and above remained unchanged at 55.9 percent in February 2026, the same as recorded in January 2026.
In rural areas, the LFPR stood at 58.7 percent in February 2026. The urban LFPR was estimated at 50.4 percent in February 2026, showing a marginal increase from 50.3 percent recorded in January 2026.
The overall female LFPR in the age group 15 years and above increased marginally from 35.1 percent in January 2026 to 35.3 percent in February 2026.
In rural areas, the female LFPR rose from 39.7 percent in January 2026 to 40.0 percent in February 2026, indicating an improvement in rural female participation, whereas the urban female LFPR remained unchanged at 25.5 percent during the same period.
The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in the age group 15 years and above remained broadly stable in both rural and urban areas in February 2026.
The overall WPR was estimated at 53.2 percent in February 2026, in comparison to 53.1 percent in January 2026. In rural areas, WPR stood at 56.3 percent in February, 2026.
Follow PSU Watch on LinkedIN
Similarly, the urban WPR observed as 47.0 percent in February 2026, compared with 46.8 percent in January 2026.
The all-India level, the monthly estimates are based on information collected from a total number of 3,74,879 persons surveyed.
The PLFS conducted by National Statistics Office (NSO) is the primary source of data on activity participation and employment and unemployment conditions of the population.
The PLFS survey methodology has been modified from January 2025 to provide monthly and quarterly estimates of labour force indicators for the country.
(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)