Industry Odisha Bureau, Aug 15: India’s unemployment rate among youth has reportedly risen to 15.9% in first quarter (Q1) of the ongoing fiscal year 2026-27 (FY27).
Media reports, citing the latest quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), have stated that, “India’s unemployment rate among youth aged 15-29 years rose to 15.9% in Q1 FY27, up from 15% in Q4 FY26 and 14.6% in Q1 FY26.”
Reporting on the youth unemployment rate by gender (male & female) and aged between 15-29 years of age, media reports, citing the latest quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), have added that, “The youth unemployment rate among males increased to 14.5% in Q1 FY27 from 14.1% in Q1 FY26, while it rose sharply among females, climbing to 19.6% in Q1 FY27 from 17.7% in Q4 FY26 and 16% in Q1 FY26. The rise was sharper among females in the rural region where the youth unemployment rate rose to 17.1% in Q1 FY27 from 12.4% in Q1 FY26.”
Media reports have also stated that, “The youth unemployment rate (aged between 15-29) in India as of June 2026, reached 16.2%, up from 13.8% in April 2025, reflecting a steady increase over the year, while female youth unemployment is significantly higher at approximately 20.7%, compared to 14.6% for males, highlighting persistent gender disparities.”
It has further been reported that, “Urban youth face greater challenges, with unemployment in cities around 13.6% to 15%, while rural youth unemployment is lower at 8.3% to 4.6%, though rural graduates increasingly seek formal jobs outside agriculture.”
Talking about education and employment mismatch, media reports, citing views and oipinions of the analysts, have also stated that, “A striking feature of India’s youth unemployment is the high rate among the educated youth, as about 67% of the unemployed youth are graduates, and nearly 40% of the graduates under 25 are without work. Despite rising tertiary enrollment to 28%, the supply of high-quality jobs has not kept pace, particularly in sectors like technology, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing, and renewable energy. Even those who find employment often secure only temporary or low-paying positions, with just 7% obtaining permanent salaried roles within the first year.”
