PLFS Monthly Bulletin February 2026: LFPR, WPR and Unemployment Trends
Source: PIB
Context:
The National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the Monthly Bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for February 2026.
The data highlights:
- Stability in Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and Worker Population Ratio (WPR)
- Improvement in urban and female unemployment rates (UR)
What is PLFS (Periodic Labour Force Survey)?
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is India’s primary data source on:
- Employment and unemployment
- Labour force participation
- Workforce trends
Conducted by
- National Statistical Office (NSO), under MoSPI
Key Update (2025 onwards)
- Provides monthly and quarterly estimates
- Uses Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach for measurement
Key Labour Market Indicators
Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)
- Percentage of population (15+ years) that is working or seeking work
Worker Population Ratio (WPR)
- Percentage of population (15+ years) that is employed
Unemployment Rate (UR)
- Percentage of labour force that is unemployed but seeking work
Key Findings: February 2026
1. LFPR Remains Stable
- Overall LFPR: 55.9% (unchanged from January 2026)
- Rural LFPR: 58.7%
- Urban LFPR: 50.4% (slight increase)
Female LFPR
- Increased from 35.1% to 35.3%
- Rural female LFPR improved (39.7% → 40.0%)
- Urban female LFPR remained at 25.5%
2. WPR Shows Stability with Slight Improvement
- Overall WPR: 53.2% (from 53.1%)
- Rural WPR: 56.3%
- Urban WPR: 47.0%
Female WPR
- Increased from 33.1% to 33.4%
- Rural: 38.0% → 38.4%
- Urban: 23.0% → 23.3%
3. Unemployment Rate (UR) Improves
Overall UR
- Declined from 5.0% to 4.9%
Urban UR
- Fell significantly from 7.0% to 6.6%
Rural UR
- Remained stable at 4.2%
4. Female Unemployment Shows Strong Improvement
- Overall female UR declined from 5.6% to 5.1%
Urban Female UR
- Dropped from 9.8% to 8.7%
Rural Female UR
- Declined from 4.3% to 4.0%
Male UR
- Remained stable at 4.8%