India's manufacturing and services sectors are projected to generate more than 35 crore new jobs by 2030: Report

India's manufacturing and services sectors are projected to generate more than 35 crore new jobs by 2030, according to the latest estimates from multiple sector skill councils and industry bodies, reported PTI.

This surge in employment potential is matched by an urgent need for accelerated skilling, practical training, and robust collaboration between industry and academia, India Didactics Association (IDA) in a statement.

According to the report, the automotive sector is expected to add 20-25 lakh direct jobs by 2030. Logistics will require an additional 47 lakh skilled workers by the same year, while the telecom sector is projected to create 10 lakh new roles.


India's clean energy transition is likely to contribute more than 44 lakh full-time jobs by 2030, and nearly 2 crore new jobs are expected within the next three years in the textiles and apparel industry.

As industry leaders and educators recognise both the challenge and the opportunity, there is growing momentum to align India's education and skilling systems with the evolving needs of employers, the IDA report stated.

Rahul Mehta, CEO, Furniture & Fittings Skill Council, said, "AI and technology will change how we design and produce, but they will not replace the need for skilled people who can create, make, install and solve real-world problems."

India’s overall unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5% in September 2026 compared with August, data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation showed.

The rural unemployment rate edged up to 4.2% from 4.1% in the previous month, while the urban unemployment rate rose marginally to 6.9% from 6.8%.

According to the National Statistics Office’s (NSO) Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the overall unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage points year-on-year from September 2025 to 5% in September 2026.

The rural unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points year-on-year to 4.2% in September 2026 from 4.6% a year earlier. Unemployment rates also declined year-on-year for both genders, with the rural female unemployment rate reaching its lowest level in 2026.

Meanwhile, the urban unemployment rate remained broadly stable, edging up to 6.9% in September 2026 from 6.8% in the same month last year.