India’s unemployment map changes depending on whom you count - Substack

The National Sample Survey (NSS) under the National Statistics Office (NSO) recently released a report compiling district-wise data on the labour market for 2025. In the preface of that report, NSS Director General Geeta Singh Rathore writes that the estimates are expected to be useful to policymakers, state and district administrations, researchers, academics and other stakeholders for policy formulation, planning, monitoring and analytical work. The data on unemployment rates is indeed useful for policy and planning. However, the task is not that simple and requires careful assessment of the data.