Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Quarterly Bulletin for April – June 2025 and PLFS Monthly Bulletin for July 2025
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Quarterly Bulletin for April – June 2025 and PLFS Monthly Bulletin for July 2025
A. Introduction
Considering the need to generate high-frequency labour force indicators with wider coverage, the sampling methodology of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) was revamped from January 2025. The redesigned PLFS aims to achieve the following objectives:
Earlier PLFS Quarterly Bulletins, released up to December 2024, presented labour market indicators only for urban areas. The current Bulletin for April–June 2025 marks the first in the series to provide estimates for both rural and urban areas. In this Quarterly Bulletin, for the first time, efforts have been made to provide estimates of the number of workers in absolute terms.
This Quarterly Bulletin presents estimates of key labour force indicators—Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), Unemployment Rate (UR), and the distribution of workers by broad employment status and industry of work—in the Current Weekly Status (CWS), separately for rural and urban areas at the all-India level. In addition, state-level estimates of LFPR, WPR, and UR in CWS are also provided for selected States.
In the Monthly Bulletins of PLFS, estimates of Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and Unemployment Rate (UR) at the all-India level are presented under the Current Weekly Status (CWS), disaggregated by gender, sector, and broad age-groups.
The monthly Bulletin for the months April 2025, May 2025 and June 2025 have already been released. The present monthly Bulletin for the month of July 2025 is the fourth in the series of Monthly Bulletins.
Key findings: Quarterly Bulletin April -June 2025
Key findings: Monthly Bulletin July 2025
1. Labour Force Participation Rate (in per cent) in CWS for persons of age 15 years and above during the quarter April – June 2025
sector
age group
male
female
person
rural
15-29 years
62.6
22.5
42.3
15 years and above
78.4
37.0
57.1
all ages
57.0
27.9
42.3
urban
15-29 years
59.3
21.3
41.3
15 years and above
75.1
25.6
50.6
all ages
58.5
20.4
39.9
rural + urban
15-29 years
61.5
22.1
42.0
15 years and above
77.3
33.4
55.0
all ages
57.5
25.6
41.5
2. Worker Population Ratio (in per cent) in CWS for persons of age 15 years and above during the quarter April – June 2025
sector
age group
male
female
person
rural
15-29 years
54.2
19.7
36.8
15 years and above
74.5
35.4
54.4
all ages
54.1
26.7
40.3
urban
15-29 years
50.0
16.0
33.9
15 years and above
70.5
23.3
47.1
all ages
55.0
18.6
37.2
rural + urban
15-29 years
52.8
18.6
35.8
15 years and above
73.1
31.6
52.0
all ages
54.4
24.2
39.3
3.Unemployment Rate (in per cent) in CWS for persons of age 15 years and above during the quarter April – June 2025
sector
age group
male
female
person
rural
15-29 years
13.4
12.4
13.1
15 years and above
5.0
4.3
4.8
all ages
5.0
4.3
4.8
urban
15-29 years
15.8
24.7
17.9
15 years and above
6.1
8.9
6.8
all ages
6.1
8.9
6.8
rural + urban
15-29 years
14.1
16.0
14.6
15 years and above
5.4
5.4
5.4
all ages
5.4
5.4
5.4
Statement 1: Labour Force Participation Rate (in per cent) in CWS
sector
survey month
male
female
person
age group: 15-29 years
rural
April 2025
63.5
23.8
43.4
May 2025
63.1
22.9
42.7
June 2025
62.0
20.5
41.1
July 2025
61.7
21.1
41.2
age group: 15 years and above
April 2025
79.0
38.2
58.0
May 2025
78.3
36.9
56.9
June 2025
78.1
35.2
56.1
July 2025
78.1
36.9
56.9
age group: all age
April 2025
57.5
28.8
42.9
May 2025
57.0
27.8
42.2
June 2025
56.9
26.5
41.5
July 2025
56.7
27.7
42.0
urban
age group: 15-29 years
April 2025
59.1
21.5
41.2
May 2025
58.6
21.3
40.8
June 2025
58.9
20.6
40.8
July 2025
59.1
21.2
41.2
age group: 15 years and above
April 2025
75.3
25.7
50.7
May 2025
75.1
25.3
50.4
June 2025
75.0
25.2
50.4
July 2025
75.1
25.8
50.7
age group: all age
April 2025
58.5
20.5
39.9
May 2025
58.5
20.2
39.7
June 2025
58.6
20.2
39.8
July 2025
58.7
20.7
40.1
rural + urban
age group: 15-29 years
April 2025
62.0
23.1
42.7
May 2025
61.6
22.4
42.1
June 2025
61.0
20.6
41.0
July 2025
60.9
21.1
41.2
age group: 15 years and above
April 2025
77.7
34.2
55.6
May 2025
77.2
33.2
54.8
June 2025
77.1
32.0
54.2
July 2025
77.1
33.3
54.9
age group: all age
April 2025
57.8
26.2
42.0
May 2025
57.5
25.5
41.4
June 2025
57.4
24.5
41.0
July 2025
57.4
25.5
41.4
Statement 2: Worker Population Ratio (in per cent) in CWS
sector
survey month
male
female
person
age group: 15-29 years
rural
April 2025
55.3
21.2
38.0
May 2025
54.3
19.9
36.8
June 2025
53.5
17.7
35.5
July 2025
53.7
18.3
35.8
age group: 15 years and above
April 2025
75.1
36.8
55.4
May 2025
74.2
35.2
54.1
June 2025
74.1
33.6
53.3
July 2025
74.5
35.5
54.4
age group: all age
April 2025
54.7
27.7
41.0
May 2025
53.9
26.5
40.0
June 2025
54.0
25.3
39.5
July 2025
54.1
26.6
40.2
urban
age group: 15-29 years
April 2025
50.2
16.4
34.1
May 2025
49.4
16.1
33.5
June 2025
49.1
15.3
33.1
July 2025
49.0
15.9
33.4
age group: 15 years and above
April 2025
71.0
23.5
47.4
May 2025
70.5
23.0
46.9
June 2025
70.2
22.9
46.8
July 2025
70.1
23.5
47.0
age group: all age
April 2025
55.1
18.7
37.3
May 2025
54.9
18.3
36.9
June 2025
54.8
18.3
37.0
July 2025
54.8
18.9
37.2
rural + urban
age group: 15-29 years
April 2025
53.6
19.8
36.8
May 2025
52.6
18.8
35.8
June 2025
52.0
17.0
34.7
July 2025
52.1
17.6
35.1
age group: 15 years and above
April 2025
73.7
32.5
52.8
May 2025
72.9
31.3
51.7
June 2025
72.8
30.2
51.2
July 2025
73.0
31.6
52.0
age group: all age
April 2025
54.8
24.9
39.8
May 2025
54.2
24.0
39.0
June 2025
54.2
23.2
38.7
July 2025
54.3
24.2
39.2
Statement 3: Unemployment Rate (in per cent) in CWS
sector
survey month
male
female
person
age group: 15-29 years
rural
April 2025
13.0
10.7
12.3
May 2025
14.0
13.0
13.7
June 2025
13.8
13.7
13.8
July 2025
13.0
13.0
13.0
age group: 15 years and above
April 2025
4.9
3.9
4.5
May 2025
5.3
4.7
5.1
June 2025
5.1
4.4
4.9
July 2025
4.6
3.9
4.4
age group: all age
April 2025
4.9
3.8
4.5
May 2025
5.3
4.7
5.1
June 2025
5.1
4.4
4.9
July 2025
4.6
3.9
4.4
urban
age group: 15-29 years
April 2025
15.0
23.7
17.2
May 2025
15.8
24.4
17.9
June 2025
16.6
25.8
18.8
July 2025
17.1
25.1
19.0
age group: 15 years and above
April 2025
5.8
8.7
6.5
May 2025
6.2
9.1
6.9
June 2025
6.4
9.1
7.1
July 2025
6.6
8.7
7.2
age group: all age
April 2025
5.8
8.7
6.5
May 2025
6.2
9.1
6.9
June 2025
6.4
9.1
7.1
July 2025
6.7
8.7
7.2
rural + urban
age group: 15-29 years
April 2025
13.6
14.4
13.8
May 2025
14.5
16.3
15.0
June 2025
14.7
17.4
15.3
July 2025
14.3
16.7
14.9
age group: 15 years and above
April 2025
5.2
5.0
5.1
May 2025
5.6
5.8
5.6
June 2025
5.6
5.6
5.6
July 2025
5.3
5.1
5.2
age group: all age
April 2025
5.2
5.0
5.1
May 2025
5.6
5.7
5.6
June 2025
5.6
5.6
5.6
July 2025
5.3
5.1
5.2
*****
ANNEXURE –II
B. Sample Design of PLFS
In revamped PLFS design adopted from January 2025, a rotational panel sampling design is used for both rural and urban areas. In this rotational panel scheme, each selected household is visited four times in four consecutive months –in the beginning with first visit schedule in the first month and other three with the revisit schedule in the following three months. The scheme of rotation ensures that 75% of the first-stage sampling units (FSUs) are matched between two consecutive months. The rotational panel components used for generation of the quarterly estimates are chosen in a manner so that 50% matching of first stage units (FSUs) between two consecutive quarters are maintained.
C. Sample Size for Quarterly Bulletin April – June 2025 and Monthly Bulletin July 2025
At the all-India level, a total number of 11,274 FSUs (6,213 census villages or sub-units as the case may be for rural areas and 5,061 UFS blocks or sub-units as the case may be in urban areas) have been surveyed during the quarter April – June, 2025. The number of households surveyed was 1,34,128 (73,960 in rural areas and 60,168 in urban areas) and number of persons surveyed was 5,70,805 (3,25,989 in rural areas and 2,44,816 in urban areas).
During the month of July 2025, a total number of 7,519 FSUs (4,144 census village or sub-unit as the case may be for rural areas and 3,375 UFS block or sub-unit as the case may be in urban areas) have been surveyed at the all-India level. The number of households surveyed was 89,505 (49,355 in rural areas and 40,150 in urban areas) and number of persons surveyed was 3,79,222 (2,16,832 in rural areas and 1,62,390 in urban areas).
Conceptual Framework of Key Employment and Unemployment Indicators for the Quarterly Bulletin: The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) gives estimates of key employment and unemployment Indicators like the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), Unemployment Rate (UR), etc. These indicators, and ‘Current Weekly Status’ are defined as follows:
The Quarterly Bulletin for the quarter April – June 2025 and the Monthly Bulletin for the month July 2025 are available at the website of the Ministry (https://mospi.gov.in).
The estimates of key labour market indicators presented in these Bulletins may be interpreted taking into consideration the corresponding estimates of Relative Standard Error (RSE) provided.
The key quarterly and monthly results are given in the statements annexed.
D. Comparability of monthly estimates with previously released estimates of PLFS
The sample design of the Periodic Labour Survey (PLFS) has been revamped from January 2025. As part of revamping of the sample design monthly rotational panel scheme has been implemented for both rural and urban areas wherein each selected household is visited four times in four consecutive months – one with first visit schedule and other three with the revisit schedule in the following three months. The aspects related to the multistage stratified design followed in PLFS like the choice of First stage Units (FSU) to be surveyed, the primary geographical unit (i.e. basic stratum) from which FSUs are selected, stratification rules applied to FSUs and sampling selection method for selecting FSUs have been changed. The number of households to be surveyed within a selected FSU has been increased from 8 to 12 households.
In addition, some changes have also been incorporated in the structure of the Schedule of inquiry. The details of the revamped PLFS sample design and changes made in the Schedule of inquiry have been provided in the PLFS release titled PLFS: Changes in 2025[1]. Users of PLFS results need to consider the changes implemented in PLFS from January 2025 while comparing PLFS results with estimates released through PLFS publications up to December, 2024. The results of the PLFS post January 2025 thus need to be understood and used in the context with which the sample selection methodology of PLFS has been designed.
- Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.
- Worker Population Ratio (WPR): WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.
- Unemployment Rate (UR): UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.
- Current Weekly Status (CWS): The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of last 7 days preceding the date of survey is known as the current weekly status (CWS) of the person.