White-collar hiring in India rose over 6 per cent in June 2025, with AI and machine-learning roles leading the charge at 25 per cent year-on-year growth, according to the latest Naukri JobSpeak Index report released on Monday, 6 July. The index itself climbed to 3,027 from 2,854 a year earlier, closing the April–June fiscal quarter at a steady 4 per cent growth.

Sectors Driving the Upturn

Insurance led sectoral growth at 16 per cent, followed by FMCG at 7 per cent, telecom at 6 per cent, and real estate at 5 per cent. BPO/ITES and pharma/biotech each posted 4 per cent growth. Notably, telecom entered positive hiring territory in June after remaining under pressure for much of the past year — a recovery driven largely by a 25 per cent YoY surge in fresher hiring within the sector.

Fresher and Mid-Career Hiring Both Strengthen

Fresher hiring grew 8 per cent year-on-year in June and 9 per cent for the full April–June quarter. Growth was visible across all experience bands: the 4–7 years segment grew 2 per cent, 8–12 years at 7 per cent, 13–16 years at 12 per cent, and the 16-plus years band at 9 per cent. The breadth of this recovery — spanning entry-level to senior roles — signals a more durable demand cycle rather than a concentrated spike.

Cities and Emerging Markets Outperform

At the city level, Kolkata led metro markets with 12 per cent growth, followed by Hyderabad at 11 per cent, Chennai at 10 per cent, and Bengaluru at 7 per cent. Emerging cities posted even sharper gains: Bhubaneswar surged 21 per cent, Indore nearly 15 per cent, and Coimbatore nearly 10 per cent — outpacing the national average and pointing to a geographic broadening of India's hiring recovery.

AI Hiring Diverges from Broader IT Slowdown

Even as overall IT hiring has moderated, AI hiring within the sector grew 16 per cent YoY in June. Across functions, media production and entertainment led with 24 per cent growth, followed by healthcare and life sciences at 22 per cent, and IT and information security at over 18 per cent. GCC (Global Capability Centre) hiring remained steady nationally, but southern markets outperformed — Chennai up 19 per cent and Hyderabad up 15 per cent.

Hitesh Oberoi, Managing Director and CEO of Info Edge (India) Limited, said: 'Even as IT hiring has moderated, AI hiring within the sector grew 16 per cent YoY in June. That divergence is important because it shows where tech companies are still investing. AI is increasingly becoming a core capability area, especially as demand shifts towards more senior and specialised talent.'

What to Watch

The consistent outperformance of AI, healthcare, and insurance roles suggests that India's white-collar job market is reorienting around high-skill, future-proof verticals. If the trend holds through the July–September quarter, it could signal a structural shift in employer demand rather than a cyclical rebound. The performance of emerging cities will also be a key indicator of whether hiring momentum is spreading beyond traditional tech hubs.