Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in India
India: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 4.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in India, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in India stood at 4.2%.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 44.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in India peaked at 8.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2024.
That places India 109th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.6% | — |
| 1992 | 7.6% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 7.6% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 7.6% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 7.5% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 7.5% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 7.5% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 7.6% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 7.6% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 7.6% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 7.6% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 7.7% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 7.6% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 7.6% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 7.5% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 7.5% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 7.5% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 7.6% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 7.6% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 7.6% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 7.6% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 7.7% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 7.6% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 7.6% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 7.6% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 7.6% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | -12.8% |
| 2020 | 8.2% | +23.5% |
| 2021 | 6.7% | -18.2% |
| 2022 | 4.9% | -27.0% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | -14.1% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 4.2% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.6% | 7.5% | 7.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.6% | 7.5% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.5% | 6.7% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.4% | 4.2% | 8.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More education data for India
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.31 million (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 3.10 million (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 19.37 million (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 18.52 million (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 133.16 million (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 126.12 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -8.85 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0862 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in India?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in India was 4.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 8.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2024.
- How does India rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- India ranks 109th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.