Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in India
India: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 17.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in India, 1994–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
India recorded 17.7% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
The figure is up 13.5% on the previous year and up 79.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in India peaked at 26.2% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 6.2%, in 1994.
That places India 56th out of 160 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 6.2% | — |
| 2000 | 8.1% | +29.4% |
| 2005 | 9.0% | +12.2% |
| 2010 | 9.6% | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 9.9% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 26.2% | +165.1% |
| 2019 | 22.7% | -13.3% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | +8.2% |
| 2021 | 20.7% | -15.7% |
| 2022 | 17.9% | -13.7% |
| 2023 | 15.5% | -13.4% |
| 2024 | 15.6% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 17.7% | +13.5% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 17.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.0%, 2.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- India's 17.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 17.7%, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +165.1% | 9.9% | 26.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 8.6% | 8.1% | 9.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 17.1% | 9.6% | 26.2% | 4 |
| 2020s | 18.6% | 15.5% | 24.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More work & labour data for India
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5078 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.12 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 876,613 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 782,365 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 743,542 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 761,710 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1.51 million 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in India?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in India was 17.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 26.2% in 2018.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.2% in 1994.
- How does India rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- India ranks 56th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 79.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.