Did White-collar Hiring Rise by 3% in August with Non-IT Sectors Leading?

New Delhi, Sep 1 (NationPress) The white-collar job sector in India saw a positive trend in August, with the JobSpeak Index reaching 2,664, reflecting a 3 percent Year-on-Year (YoY) increase from 2,576 during the same month last year, according to a report released on Monday.

Non-IT sectors played a pivotal role in this upward movement, notably the insurance industry, which accounted for 24 percent of the growth, followed by the hospitality/travel sector at 22 percent, BPO/ITES at 17 percent, education at 16 percent, and real estate at 18 percent, as reported by Naukri, a prominent job posting platform.

Conversely, the IT sector experienced a 6 percent decline YoY; however, IT unicorns defied this trend with a remarkable 10 percent YoY growth in hiring.

The report indicated that hiring saw an increase across all experience levels in August, with fresh graduates witnessing a 7 percent YoY rise and experienced professionals (16 years) growing by 8 percent YoY.

Additionally, there was a substantial surge of 54 percent YoY in hiring for AI-ML roles, continuing the robust momentum established in previous months.

This growth was observed across major metropolitan areas, with Kolkata leading at 101 percent, followed by Hyderabad at 80 percent, Delhi-NCR at 72 percent, and Chennai at 67 percent, according to the report.

The hospitality industry also reported a 22 percent YoY increase in August, maintaining a positive trajectory throughout much of 2025, with seven out of the last eight months showing growth.

“In August, two significant trends emerged: non-IT sectors persist in driving job market growth, a pattern seen in recent months, and Hyderabad has become a hotspot for startup hiring, leading the metros in overall job growth,” remarked Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri.

In August, Delhi-NCR (41 percent) and Chennai (19 percent) were major contributors to this growth. The sector also became a hub for freshers, showcasing a 44 percent YoY increase in entry-level hiring.

Hyderabad has now recorded three consecutive months of positive growth in startup and unicorn hiring, reinforcing its status as a crucial player in India’s innovation landscape.

“In August, startup hiring in Hyderabad rose by 30 percent YoY, significantly outpacing the overall growth of 3 percent. Unicorns exhibited even stronger growth with a 45 percent YoY rise,” the report highlighted.

The insurance sector experienced a robust 24 percent YoY increase in August, driven by Kolkata (36 percent) and Delhi-NCR (30 percent).