India's white-collar hiring rises 6% in April, AI/ML roles surge 32%
Synopsis
India's white-collar job market kicked off FY27 with a 6% YoY rise in the Naukri JobSpeak Index, but the real story is beneath the headline: AI/ML roles are surging 32%, senior professionals are in unprecedented demand at 53% growth, and tier-II cities like Jaipur and Coimbatore are outpacing Mumbai — which slipped into negative territory.
Key Takeaways
The Naukri JobSpeak Index rose 6% year-on-year to 3,045 points in April 2025 , with a 3-month average of 9% YoY growth .
Insurance led sectoral growth at 21% ; Telecom and Banking fell 11% and 10% respectively.
AI/ML roles surged over 32% YoY ; professionals with 13–16 years of experience saw the highest growth at over 53% .
Demand for roles paying above ₹20 lakh per annum grew 15% ; fresher hiring rose 11% .
Hyderabad led metro hiring at over 12% YoY ; Mumbai was the only major metro in negative territory.
Tier-II cities Jaipur (12%), Coimbatore (11%), and Ahmedabad (7%) posted strong growth.
India's white-collar job market opened FY27 on a firm note, with the Naukri JobSpeak Index climbing 6 per cent year-on-year to 3,045 points in April 2025, up from 2,878 points a year earlier, according to a report released on Friday, 1 May. The three-month moving average from February to April held even stronger at 9 per cent year-on-year growth, signalling a sustained, broad-based recovery in professional hiring.
Sectors Leading the Surge
Insurance topped sectoral growth at 21 per cent year-on-year, followed by BPO/ITES at 15 per cent and Real Estate at 12 per cent. Healthcare gained 11 per cent and Education rose 9 per cent, reflecting diversified demand beyond the traditional technology-driven hiring cycle. This comes amid a broader structural shift in the Indian economy, where services sectors outside IT are increasingly absorbing skilled talent.
In contrast, Telecom and Banking continued their four-month declining trend, falling 11 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. IT, Pharma, and Auto sectors remained largely flat — notable given IT's historically dominant share of white-collar hiring in India.
AI/ML and Senior Roles in High Demand
AI/ML roles sustained a strong growth trajectory at over 32 per cent year-on-year, underscoring the accelerating demand for technology talent even as broader IT hiring stagnates. Demand was sharpest at the senior end: professionals with 13–16 years of experience saw the highest growth at over 53 per cent, followed by those with 8–12 years of experience at over 34 per cent.
Fresher hiring — covering candidates with 0–3 years of experience — rose 11 per cent year-on-year overall and over 16 per cent within the index's fresher sub-segment, though at a slower pace compared to mid and senior levels. Demand for high-paying roles above ₹20 lakh per annum grew 15 per cent, pointing to premium talent scarcity rather than volume hiring.
Southern Cities and Tier-II Markets Outperform
Among India's top metros, southern cities dominated April's hiring rankings. Hyderabad led with over 12 per cent year-on-year growth, followed by Bengaluru at over 7 per cent and Chennai at over 6 per cent. Delhi-NCR grew around 3 per cent, while Kolkata remained largely flat. Mumbai was the only major metro in negative territory — a reversal that analysts may attribute to the city's heavier exposure to banking and financial services, both of which contracted this month.
Beyond the metros, tier-II cities continued to punch above their weight. Jaipur posted over 12 per cent growth, Coimbatore over 11 per cent, and Ahmedabad over 7 per cent, underscoring how hiring demand is spreading well beyond traditional urban centres.
What Industry Leaders Said
Hitesh Oberoi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Info Edge, said:
Point of View
And Mumbai — India's financial capital — is the only metro in the red. Meanwhile, AI/ML hiring at 32% and senior-level demand at 53% suggest companies are selectively upgrading talent rather than expanding headcount broadly. The spread of hiring into Jaipur and Coimbatore is structurally significant, but it also raises questions: are these roles comparable in quality and pay to metro equivalents, or are firms simply arbitraging lower salary expectations in smaller cities?
NationPress
20 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Naukri JobSpeak Index and what did it show in April 2025?
The Naukri JobSpeak Index is a monthly indicator of white-collar hiring activity in India, published by Info Edge. In April 2025, it rose 6% year-on-year to 3,045 points, with a three-month moving average of 9% YoY growth from February to April.
Which sectors saw the highest hiring growth in April 2025?
Insurance led with 21% year-on-year growth, followed by BPO/ITES at 15%, Real Estate at 12%, Healthcare at 11%, and Education at 9%. AI/ML roles recorded over 32% growth, the strongest sub-segment in the report.
Why did banking and telecom hiring decline?
Banking and Telecom continued a four-month declining trend, falling 10% and 11% year-on-year respectively. The report did not specify direct causes, but the sustained contraction suggests structural headwinds rather than a short-term blip.
Which cities led white-collar hiring in April 2025?
Among metros, Hyderabad led at over 12% YoY growth, followed by Bengaluru at over 7% and Chennai at over 6%. Mumbai was the only major metro in negative territory. Tier-II cities Jaipur and Coimbatore also posted over 12% and 11% growth respectively.
What does the rise in senior-level hiring indicate?
Professionals with 13–16 years of experience saw over 53% growth, the highest of any experience bracket, suggesting companies are prioritising experienced leadership and specialised talent over volume hiring. This trend aligns with rising demand for AI/ML expertise and premium roles above ₹20 lakh per annum.
