New Delhi

India’s employment market demonstrated steady resilience in 2025, with over 9 crore job applications recorded during the year—an estimated 29 per cent year-on-year increase—while employers posted around 14 lakh jobs, marking a 15 per cent annual rise, according to a recent report.

As per Apna.co’s India at Work 2025 report, job applications were driven by higher participation from women and early-career professionals, as service-led hiring expanded beyond metro cities and digital recruitment tools became increasingly mainstream.

Women accounted for over 3.8 crore applications, registering a 36 per cent year-on-year increase, while fresher applications crossed 2.2 crore, growing 10 per cent annually, reflecting sustained demand for formal entry-level service roles.

Among women applicants, Tier 1 cities contributed around 2 crore applications, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities accounted for approximately 1.8 crore, indicating nearly 30 per cent growth in emerging markets. Median salaries for women rose by an estimated 22 per cent, supported by increased participation in finance, administrative and customer experience roles.

The Periodic Labour Force Survey also pointed to continued improvement in women’s labour force participation, with more women transitioning into structured career pathways.

On the hiring side, small and medium businesses posted nearly 10 lakh jobs in 2025, an 11 per cent rise over the previous year. Strong demand was seen in education and training, healthcare, retail, financial services and wellness sectors. Cities such as Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Indore, Surat and Chandigarh witnessed notable growth as local enterprises formalised operations.

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The report also highlighted growing AI adoption in recruitment, with over 73 lakh AI interview sessions and more than 1.9 crore AI interview minutes recorded during the year, saving nearly four years of recruiter calling time.