Rural Joblessness Falls While Urban Unemployment Holds Steady

September’s labour statistics reveal a clear dip in rural unemployment, which dropped to 4.2 percent, compared with 4.6 percent in September 2025. Urban unemployment, however, remained largely unchanged at about 6.8 percent. The overall unemployment rate settled at 5 percent, down 0.2 points year‑over‑year. Labour force participation increased to 55.5 percent, driven by a rise in rural LFPR to 58 percent. Urban LFPR slipped to 50.7 percent, though it showed a modest month‑to‑month improvement.