Summary of this article
White-collar hiring rises 6 per cent year-on-year in April
Insurance sector leads hiring growth with 21 per cent jump
Southern cities, tier-II markets drive job demand expansion
India's white-collar hiring grew by 6 per cent year-on-year in April this fiscal, mainly driven by insurance, BPO/ITeS, and real estate sectors, according to a report released on Friday.
Insurance led the sectoral hiring by registering 21 per cent year-on-year growth, followed by BPO/ITES (15 per cent), real estate (12 per cent), healthcare (11 per cent), and education (9 per cent), according to the Naukri JobSpeak Index report.
However, telecom and banking sectors continued their four-month decline, falling to 11 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, in April, while IT, pharma and auto remained largely flat, the report said.
Even hiring in the Global Capability Centre (GCC) witnessed a 4 per cent dip in April, it added.
The Naukri JobSpeak Index report is a monthly index that tracks trends in India's job market and hiring activities.
When it came to geographies, among the top metros, southern cities dominated the trajectory, with Hyderabad recording 12 per cent growth, followed by Bengaluru (7 per cent) and Chennai (6 per cent).
Delhi-NCR (at 3 per cent) saw modest single-digit growth, Kolkata remained largely flat (1 per cent), and Mumbai was the only major metro in negative territory at 3 per cent, according to the report.
Beyond the metros, the report found that emerging cities like Jaipur (12 per cent), Coimbatore (11 per cent), and Ahmedabad (7 per cent) continued to post firm growth, underlining the spread of hiring demand into tier-II markets.
"Hiring activity continues to show steady momentum, with the Naukri JobSpeak Index recording a 6 per cent year-on-year growth. Sectors such as insurance, real estate, and healthcare are driving this expansion, reflecting both structural demand and increased consumer activity.
"While IT hiring remains stable, we are seeing some moderation in banking. Overall, the job market remains resilient, with sectoral shifts shaping the hiring landscape," Naukri.com MD and CEO Hitesh Oberoi said.
