Suhail Khan
New Delhi, Dec 15 : The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has reported an unemployment rate of 6.1% for the quarter ending September 2025, surpassing the national average of 5.2%, according to official statistics presented before Parliament.
The data, submitted in a written response to the Rajya Sabha as per Kashmir Convener delineates a challenging employment landscape in the region, marked by significant urban-rural and gender disparities.
The figures, drawn from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for July-September 2025, as per this newspaper reveal that under the Current Weekly Status metric, J&K’s joblessness rate for individuals aged 15 and above is nearly a percentage point higher than the all-India figure.
A stark urban-rural divide is evident. Urban centres in the Union Territory recorded an unemployment rate of 10.6%, in contrast to 5.1% in rural areas. Nationally, urban unemployment was lower at 6.9%, with rural joblessness at 4.4%.
The gender-based analysis unveils a more acute crisis among women. Female unemployment in J&K’s urban areas soared to 20.8%, with the overall rate for women standing at 8.7%. Male unemployment in the region was comparatively lower at 4.6%, aligning closely with the national average for men.
Despite higher unemployment, Jammu and Kashmir reports stronger labour force engagement. The region’s Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for the working-age population is 61.0%, significantly above the national average of 55.1%. Similarly, its Worker Population Ratio (WPR)—the proportion of the population that is employed—is 57.3%, compared to the all-India figure of 52.2%.
This indicates that a larger segment of J&K’s population is actively employed or seeking work, underscoring a mismatch between labour supply and job availability.
In his reply, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Statistics, Rao Inderjit Singh, confirmed that the estimates are based on the PLFS conducted by the National Statistics Office, using internationally comparable methodologies.
The minister also cited government initiatives to bridge the employment gap, noting that the National Career Service portal has registered over 6.02 crore job seekers and 54.27 lakh employers to date.
The data underscores a persistent structural challenge for Jammu and Kashmir: a workforce that is actively engaged but faces a deficit in adequate employment opportunities. The situation is particularly pronounced in urban locales and for female job seekers, pointing to areas requiring targeted policy intervention.
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