White-collar employment in India increased by 6% in April compared to the same month last year, according to the Naukri Jobspeak Index report. This is mainly due to the insurance, BPO/ITeS and real estate sectors.
The report, which tracks India’s job market and recruitment trends, said the insurance industry led the sectoral hiring with 21% year-on-year growth, followed by BPO/ITES at 15%, real estate at 12%, healthcare and education.
“Recruitment activity continues to show steady momentum, with the Naukri Jobspeak Index registering 6% year-on-year growth. Sectors like insurance, real estate and healthcare are driving this expansion, reflecting structural demand and increased consumer activity,” said Hitesh Oberoi, MD and CEO, Naukri.com.
Employment patterns across sectors
Meanwhile, the telecom and banking sectors declined for the fourth consecutive month, dropping to 11% and 10% respectively in April, while IT, pharmaceuticals and automobiles remained roughly flat, according to the report.
“While employment in the IT sector remains stable, there is some moderation in the banking sector. Overall, the job market remains resilient, with sectoral changes shaping the employment landscape,” Oberoi said.
Even employment in Global Capability Centers (GCC) saw a 4% drop in April, the report added.
In terms of experience level, new hires with 0-3 years of experience, demand grew at a healthy 11% year over year. Additionally, the report states that demand for 20+ LPA roles has grown by 15%, while AI/ML roles have maintained a strong trajectory of 32% for over a year.
Recruitment trends by region
According to the Naukri Jobspeak Index, southern cities accounted for the majority of the top metros, with Hyderabad registering 12 per cent growth, followed by Bengaluru (7 per cent) and Chennai (6 per cent).
According to the report, Delhi-NCR (3%) saw modest single-digit growth, Kolkata was almost flat (1%) and Mumbai was the only major city to be in negative 3% territory.
Beyond metropolitan areas, the report reveals that emerging cities such as Jaipur (12%), Coimbatore (11%) and Ahmedabad (7%) continue to see strong growth, highlighting the spread of job demand to tier-2 markets.
