In September 2025, the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the inaugural Monthly Bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for August 2025. Bulletin for the month of August 2025 is the fifth in the series
- As per the data, the Unemployment Rate (UR) at the national level for individuals aged 15 years and above declined for the second consecutive month from 5.6% in June 2025 to 5.2% in July 2025 to 5.1% in August 2025.
Exam Hints:
- What? August PLFS bulletin
- Released by: NSO, MoSPI
- UR: 5.1%
- LFPR: Overall – 55%, Female – 33.7%, Male – 77.0%
- WPR: Overall – 52.2%, Female – 32.0%, Male – 73.2%
Revamped PLFS methodology:
To enhance the frequency and coverage of labour force data, MoSPI has revamped the PLFS methodology effective January 2025. Key changes include:
- Monthly Estimates: Introduction of monthly estimates for Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR) and Unemployment Rate (UR) at the all-India level, covering both rural and urban areas using the Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach.
- Quarterly Rural data: Extension of quarterly employment estimates to include rural areas, providing a more comprehensive view of the labour market.
- Calendar Year Reporting: Transition to calendar year-based annual reporting (January-December), aligning with international standards and facilitating timely policy intervention.
Key Findings:
Unemployment Rate (UR) in CWS:
- The UR among male of age 15 years and above has declined to 5.0% in August 2025, the lowest level observed since April 2025.
- This is mainly due to the fall in UR of male in urban areas from 6.6% in July 2025 to 5.9% in August 2025.
- The UR among rural male has also declined to 4.5% in August 2025, lower than the previous four months.
Note: An individual was classified as unemployed during a reference week if they did not engage in any work for even one hour on any day, but were actively seeking or available for work at least one hour on any day within the same week.
UR (in %) in CWS for persons of age 15 years and above:
| Sector | Male | Person |
|---|---|---|
| Rural | 4.5% | 4.3% |
| Urban | 5.9% | 6.7% |
| Rural + Urban | 5.0% | 5.1% |
LFPR in CWS:
- The overall LFPR for persons of age 15 years and above has increased from 54.2% in June 2025 to 55% in August 2025.
- LFPR among females aged 15 years and above has increased from 32.0% in June 2025 to 33.7% in August 2025.
- LFPR among males aged 15 years and above has slightly decreased from 77.1% in June 2025 to 77.0% in August 2025.
LFPR (in %) in CWS for persons of age 15 years and above:
| Sector | Female |
|---|---|
| Rural | 37.4% |
| Urban | 26.1% |
| Rural + Urban | 33.7% |
WPR (in %) in CWS for persons of age 15 years and above:
| Sector | Male | Female | Person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural | 74.4% | 35.9% | 54.5% |
| Urban | 70.9% | 23.8% | 47.5% |
| Rural + Urban | 73.2% | 32.0% | 52.2% |
Key Terms:
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.
Worker Population Ratio (WPR): WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.
Unemployment Rate (UR): UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.
Current Weekly Status (CWS): The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of last 7 days preceding the date of survey is known as the current weekly status (CWS) of the person.
About the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS):
The NSO launched the PLFS in April 2017 to provide labour force data at more frequent intervals. The objectives include:
- Estimating key employment and unemployment indicators, such as LFPR, WPR and UR in urban and rural areas.
About the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI):
Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge, IC) – Rao Inderjit Singh (Constituency: Gurgaon, Haryana)
