These States Record The Highest and Lowest Unemployment Rates in India

Gujarat reported the lowest unemployment rate in India at 2.2 per cent, while Uttarakhand recorded the highest with 8.9 per cent, according to the data presented in Parliament by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). Revealing striking differences across the states, the overall unemployment rate for the country stood at 5.2 per cent. Karnataka registered 2.8 per cent unemployment rate, while Andhra Pradesh recorded 8.2 per cent followed by Kerala at 8.0 per cent. West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh both recorded 3.7 per cent, displaying robust employment absorption against the national average.

Women Face Higher Unemployment

The figures stress a persistent gender gap, with women, particularly in urban areas, facing far greater difficulty in finding jobs. In states such as Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir, the unemployment rate among urban women surpassed 20 per cent, highlighting hinderances that stop women from getting and continuing in a job.

Labour Force Participation and Worker Ratios

Across India, the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) stood at 55.1 percent, while the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) was lower at 52.2 percent. The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) refers to the share of people aged 15 and above who are either working or actively searching for jobs, while the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) measures the number of employers. Both are significant as they help explain the employment situation in the country.

States with Strong and Weak Participation

Himachal Pradesh recorded the highest LFPR at 69.6 percent, followed by Rajasthan at 61.2 percent and Jammu & Kashmir at 61 percent. Gujarat and Chhattisgarh were behind at 60.9 percent. These figures suggested healthy workforce engagement, particularly in rural areas and among women.

On the other hand, Delhi had the lowest LFPR at 43.1 percent and Bihar followed with 46.1 percent. Female participation was especially weak in Delhi at 11.9 percent, in Uttar Pradesh at 20.5 percent, and in Bihar at 20.6 percent. By contrast, Himachal Pradesh showed the highest female participation at 60.9 percent.

Employment Ratios Show Similar Gaps

The worker population ratio also showed wide variation. Himachal Pradesh led with 64.1 per cent, Gujarat followed with 59.6 per cent, and Chhattisgarh reported 57.5 per cent.

The weakest ratios were seen in Delhi (40.2 percent), Bihar (43.8 percent), and Uttar Pradesh (44.5 percent). These numbers reflect limited job absorption, especially among women, who consistently fall behind men in finding employment.

States such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh saw low participation and worker ratios, despite showing moderate unemployment rates.

National Employment Portal Registrations

The parliamentary report also noted that as of November 20, more than 6.02 crore jobseekers and over 54.27 lakh employers have registered on the National Career Service (NCS) portal since its launch. This highlights the scale of demand for jobs and the efforts being made to connect workers with employers.