India's Unemployment Rate Falls to 4.9% in February, Female Joblessness Declines

India's unemployment rate declined slightly to 4.9% in February 2026 from 5% in January, driven mainly by a drop in female unemployment across rural and urban areas, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey by the Ministry of Statistics. Urban unemployment fell to 6.6%, while rural rates remained steady at 4.2%. Labour Force Participation Rate stayed stable at 55.9%, with marginal increases in female participation. Youth unemployment rose slightly due to higher male joblessness, despite a decline among young women.