J&K's unemployment rate of 6.7% much above national average

New Delhi: J&K government on Monday informed the assembly that the Union Territory's overall unemployment rate stands at 6.7%, which is significantly higher than the national average of 3.5%.

This information was given to a question raised by Mubarak Gul, a ruling National Conference MLA from Srinagar during the ongoing budget session in Jammu.

The government informed that as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate among persons aged 15 and above in J&K in 2025 was 6.7%.


A baseline survey was conducted across the UT by the employment department in collaboration with the UT administration under Mission YUVA. The survey identified 4.73 lakh individuals in the age group of 18-60, out of the total 64.8 lakh, who reported that they were "not working but willing to work".

The government assured the MLA that addressing unemployment remains a top priority and its focus is not only on short-term job provisioning but on creating sustainable livelihoods by encouraging youth to become job creators rather than job seekers.

Mission YUVA was highlighted as a transformational initiative aimed at promoting entrepreneurship across J&K.