Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)

Current Context : Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released its revamped PLFS, showing India’s unemployment rate at 5.1% with monthly data now available.

Revamped PLFS Features

• Launch: Originally in 2017; now covers urban & rural
• Frequency: Monthly release of unemployment, LFPR, and WPR.
• Sample Size: 22,692 First Stage Units per year, up from previous surveys.

Key Indicators (April 2025)

• Unemployment Rate:1% overall (5.2% men; 5.0% women).
• LFPR (Labour Force Participation):6%
• WPR (Worker Population Ratio):8%
• Youth Unemployment (15–29):8%
• Urban vs Rural Unemployment:2% vs 12.3%

Gender Gap

• Women LFPR:2% (rural), 23.5% (urban)
• Women WPR: Lower than men, indicating barriers to female employment.