India’s urban job arena roared back in February, with the Naukri JobSpeak Index climbing 12% YoY to 3,233 from 2,890. This Tuesday’s findings mark the month’s best showing in years.
MoM from January: a stellar 23%—above the 13-16% benchmark. Freshers (0-3 yrs) up 17% annually; ₹20L+ packages +23%.
Sector leaders: insurance +28%, BPO/ITeS +22%, real estate +19%, hospitality/travel +15%, retail +14%. IT posted +6% after flat quarters, thanks to AI/ML’s 49% YoY leap.
IT breakdown: ₹50L +45%. Freshers +8% in IT; Indian MNCs +55%; AI/ML +40% internally. Broader fresher gains came from non-IT.
Naukri CBO Dr. Pawan Goyal linked 23% MoM to IT revival and domestic MNC AI fervor: ‘This speed ahead of FY start is robust and positive.’
Month-on-month: BPO/ITeS +48%, insurance +42%, retail/hospitality +39% each. Premium fresher pay +30% YoY; 13-16 exp pros +50%.
MNCs: Indian firms +24% overall, +82% in AI/ML vs. foreign +43%. February’s surge, blending high-skill tech with service recovery, sets an upbeat tone for India’s employment trajectory.