New Delhi, Dec 22 (NationPress) Non-IT sectors have emerged as the leading forces behind hiring trends in India for much of the year, while IT recruitment has remained relatively stable following a slow start, according to a report released on Monday.

The non-IT sectors have shown robust growth. The hospitality sector stood out, achieving a remarkable 23 percent growth in the latter half of the year. The education sector also saw significant hiring, ending the year with a 28 percent increase, while real estate experienced a 17 percent growth.

Insurance sector hiring recorded double-digit growth in the second half of the year, bouncing back from an earlier slump, as noted in the report by Naukri.

Following a cautious beginning, the white-collar job market in India gained traction throughout the year, averaging mid-single-digit growth and wrapping up 2025 on a positive note, mainly driven by non-IT sectors and a continued rise in AI and machine learning positions.

The hiring landscape in 2025 kicked off with a steady 2 percent growth during the January-March period, with acceleration noted for the remainder of the year.

Overall hiring averaged around 6-7 percent year-on-year growth, with notable increases in November (+23 percent), June (+11 percent), and September (+10 percent).

“As we approach the end of the year, hiring trends for 2025 indicate a sense of optimism. Demand for AI/ML and other specialized roles is projected to remain strong, while non-IT sectors and emerging cities are likely to continue to significantly contribute to job creation,” the report stated.

IT and software hiring saw a 2 percent decline in Q1 of 2025 but showed signs of stabilization from Q2 onwards, with slight improvements in certain months.

AI and machine learning emerged as the most significant growth drivers of 2025, with hiring in this sector increasing by 41 percent year-on-year from January to November, maintaining uninterrupted growth for six consecutive quarters. Growth accelerated throughout the year, exceeding the 50 percent mark in the latter half of 2025.

Hiring for freshers gained traction throughout the year, particularly in the second half. A significant trend was the increasing visibility of non-metro cities in fresh hiring.

Locations such as Kolhapur, Guwahati, Patna, Mangalore, and Udaipur emerged among the top areas for fresher hiring across various quarters, highlighting a gradual decentralization of entry-level opportunities beyond traditional metropolitan areas, according to the Naukri report.

Global Capability Centre (GCC) hiring remained relatively stable in 2025, with approximately 3 percent year-on-year growth in the latter part of the year.