Districts with Lowest Unemployment and NEET Rates Highlighted in NSO Findings

The National Statistics Office’s latest district‑level labour statistics, published on September 18, shed light on the areas where unemployment and youth disengagement are at their minimum. South 24 Parganas in West Bengal and Araria in Bihar both posted the lowest overall unemployment rate at 0.9 %, while Ahmedabad in Gujarat reported a slightly higher yet still low rate of 1.1 %.

For the 15‑29‑year‑old cohort, the NEET (not in education, employment or training) indicator was lowest in Ernakulam, Kerala, at 9.6 %. Close behind were Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (14.5 %) and Bangalore Urban, Karnataka (15 %).

In the broader 15‑plus population, state capitals showed impressive labour‑force figures. Shimla recorded the highest women’s LFPR at 70 % and a WPR of 65.1 %, followed by Thiruvananthapuram with 64.4 % LFPR and 63.2 % WPR, and Raipur with 61.5 % LFPR and 59.4 % WPR.

The report also identified the districts with the lowest unemployment among adults: Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) and Kolkata (West Bengal) each at 1.9 %, and Bangalore Urban (Karnataka) at 2.5 %.

These figures underline the uneven but encouraging progress across India’s districts. While certain regions are excelling in integrating women into the workforce and reducing joblessness, other areas still lag behind, highlighting the need for targeted policies.

Overall, the NSO data offers a detailed map for authorities to prioritize investment, skill‑building programmes, and gender‑focused employment initiatives.