India's unemployment rate dropped to 3.1% in 2023, the lowest in recent years, from 3.6% the previous year. Female labor force participation crossed 40% for the first time. Urban unemployment fell to 5.2% from 5.9%, and rural unemployment dropped to 2.4% from 2.8%. Despite this, the gender gap in unemployment widened as female unemployment declined slower than male unemployment. Female labor force participation rose to 41.3%, but their participation in certain sectors, like legislators, senior officials, and managers, decreased.
