New Delhi, February 16: India’s Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) remained largely stable at 55.9% in January 2026, according to the latest Monthly Bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
The overall LFPR for persons aged 15 years and above was recorded at 55.9% in January 2026, marginally lower than 56.1% in December 2025. Rural LFPR stood at 58.7%, slightly down from 59.0% a month earlier. Urban LFPR showed near stability at 50.3%, compared to 50.2% in December.
The data indicates that workforce participation levels have largely maintained their trajectory, despite minor seasonal adjustments.
Female LFPR Maintains Level
Female participation in the labour force continued to hold steady. The female LFPR for persons aged 15 years and above was reported at 35.1% in January 2026, unchanged from November 2025 levels.
In rural areas, female LFPR was 39.7%, while urban female LFPR reached 25.5%. The figures reflect marginal variations but no structural shifts in women’s workforce engagement during the month.
Worker Population Ratio Sees Marginal Rural Dip
The Worker Population Ratio (WPR), which measures the proportion of employed persons in the population, recorded a slight decline after months of gradual improvement. Overall WPR stood at 53.1% in January 2026.
Rural WPR dipped to 56.2% from 56.7% in December 2025. Rural male WPR was recorded at 75.7%, while female WPR stood at 38.0%.
Urban WPR remained stable across genders, with male WPR at 70.5%, female WPR at 23.0%, and an overall urban WPR of 46.8%.
Unemployment Rate Edges Up
The unemployment rate (UR) rose slightly to 5.0% in January 2026, compared to 4.8% in December 2025. Rural UR increased from 3.9% to 4.2%, while urban UR rose from 6.7% to 7.0%.
Male unemployment in the 15 years and above category remained broadly stable. However, female unemployment showed a modest uptick, though it remains within the range observed between April and December 2025.
Seasonal Factors Behind Rural Slowdown
Officials attributed the marginal decline in LFPR and WPR, along with the slight rise in unemployment, primarily to seasonal factors. Post-harvest slack and winter-related slowdowns affected activities such as construction, agriculture-allied work, transport, and small trade.
Urban labour market indicators, however, remained largely unaffected, suggesting resilience in non-agricultural sectors.
Survey Coverage and Methodology
The PLFS is conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI and serves as the primary source of employment and unemployment data in India. From January 2025, the survey methodology was modified to generate monthly and quarterly estimates.
The January 2026 estimates are based on responses from 3,73,158 individuals, including 2,13,226 persons in rural areas and 1,60,932 in urban regions.