Unemployment Rate Dips Slightly To 5% In August, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• The overall unemployment rate (UR) for persons aged 15 years and above slightly decreased to 5% in August 2026.
• This marks a marginal decline from 5.1% recorded in July 2026 and is stable compared to August 2025.
• Data is sourced from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
• The rural unemployment rate saw a decrease from 4.5% in July to 4.1% in August 2026.

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Detailed Insights:

• The urban unemployment rate remained largely stable at 6.8% in August 2026, a slight increase from 6.7% in July 2026.
• Compared to August 2025, the rural unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage points, reaching 4.1% in August 2026.
• The rural unemployment rate in August 2026 was the lowest recorded since January 2026.
• The overall unemployment rate for males aged 15 years and above declined for the third consecutive month, reaching 4.9% in August 2026.
• For females aged 15 years and above, the overall unemployment rate declined for two consecutive months, settling at 5.1% in August 2026.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Unemployment Rate (UR): The percentage of the labor force that is jobless but actively seeking employment.
• Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): A nationwide survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) to estimate key employment and unemployment indicators.