New Delhi, Aug. 18 -- India's overall unemployment rate among people aged 15 years and above declined to 5.1 per cent in July 2026, from 5.5 per cent in June, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

The decline was led by rural areas, where the unemployment rate fell to 4.5 per cent from 5 per cent. The urban unemployment rate, however, remained broadly unchanged at 6.7 per cent in July, compared with 6.6 per cent in June.

On a year-on-year basis, the overall and rural unemployment rates remained broadly stable, while the urban rate declined from 7.2 per cent in July 2025.

Labour Force Participation Improves

The labour force participation rate (LFPR), which measures...