India's unemployment rate increased to 5% in the January-March quarter of FY26, up from 4.8% in the previous quarter, as reported by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The rise was primarily attributed to a surge in female unemployment, which climbed to 5.3%, while male unemployment remained steady at 4.8%. Urban unemployment saw a slight decline to 6.6%, while rural unemployment rose to 4.3%. Notably, Chhattisgarh recorded the highest unemployment rate among states at 9.5%, followed closely by Jammu & Kashmir at 9.3%. Youth unemployment, particularly among individuals aged 15-29, increased to 15%, marking a rise from 14.3% in the previous quarter. The labour force participation rate (LFPR) also experienced a decline, falling to 55.5% from 55.8% in the prior quarter, with female participation decreasing to 34.7% and male participation to 77.3%. Overall, self-employment continued to be the dominant form of work, accounting for 55.8% of employment.