India’s white-collar job market registered steady growth in August, driven primarily by the non-IT sector and significant growth in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) roles, according to Naukri Jobspeak’s latest report. Overall recruitment activity grew by 3% year-on-year, with Hyderabad emerging as the top city for recruitment, especially in the startup ecosystem.
“Two key trends stood out in August: continued momentum in the non-IT sector and the emergence of Hyderabad as a start-up employment hub and leading city in terms of overall employment growth,” said Dr. Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer, Naukri.com.
The role of artificial intelligence
AI/ML roles saw a record increase of 54%, highlighting the growing demand for advanced technical skills. Non-IT sectors led the hiring momentum, including insurance (+24%), hospitality/travel (+22%), real estate (+18%), BPO/ITES (+17%), and education (+16%). In contrast, IT/software services fell by 6% and telecommunications by 13%, but IT unicorns bucked the trend by increasing hiring by 10%.
Hospitality and real estate shine
The hospitality industry continued its streak of gains with a 22% year-over-year increase, and the number of new hires in the sector soared 44%. Real estate employment grew 18%, led by southern hubs Chennai (up 22%) and Hyderabad (up 18%).
Experience level trends
Freshman hiring rose 7% in August, driven by opportunities in hospitality, education and real estate. Senior professionals with 16 years or more of experience also saw an 8% increase in demand, driven by sectors such as oil and gas and healthcare.
Hyderabad emerges as startup hiring hub
Hyderabad stands out with a 45% jump in unicorn hiring, leading other metropolitan cities to establish itself as the most vibrant job market in the country. Emerging cities also have strong employment traction, with Jaipur (up 26%) and Kochi (up 16%) leading the way in terms of new job openings.
The Naukri JobSpeak index is based on job postings and recruiter activity on Naukri.com and highlights the ongoing changes in India’s white-collar employment landscape. August’s trends highlight how non-IT industries and emerging technology roles are reshaping hiring demand even as traditional IT hiring cools.
