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
1 May 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.
