The overall LFPR in September 2025 rose to 55.3% from 54.2% in June 2025, marking the third consecutive month of growth. Rural LFPR increased from 56.1% in June to 57.4% in September, while urban LFPR remained steady at 50.9%.
Female participation continues to strengthen. The overall female LFPR reached 34.1%, its highest level since May 2025, driven primarily by rural women, whose LFPR climbed from 35.2% in June to 37.9% in September.
This sustained increase reflects both greater economic engagement of women and ongoing efforts to enhance rural employment opportunities.
Worker Population Ratio Trends
The overall Worker Population Ratio (WPR) rose to 52.4%, the highest since May 2025. Female WPR increased for the third month in a row from 30.2% in June to 32.3% in September, with rural female workers rising from 33.6% to 36.3% over the same period. This demonstrates that the growth in female participation has directly contributed to a stronger workforce base.
Unemployment Rate Analysis
Overall Unemployment Rate (UR) rose marginally to 5.2% in September from 5.1% in August. The UR increased in rural areas from 4.3% to 4.6% and slightly in urban areas from 6.7% to 6.8%.
Among females, the UR increased from 5.2% in August to 5.5% in September, while urban female UR rose to 9.3% from 8.9%. Male unemployment showed moderate increases as well, from 4.5% to 4.7% in rural areas and from 5.9% to 6.0% in urban areas.
Survey Coverage
The September 2025 PLFS estimates are based on data collected from 3,75,703 individuals, including 2,15,051 in rural areas and 1,60,652 in urban areas, providing comprehensive national coverage.