*Unemployment rates in percentages of persons in the 15 years and above age group. Data based on the annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (Various Years), Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India. (Image in chart area) An aspirant revises her notes before sitting for her a government recruitment exam Dimapur in 2022. (Morung File Photo)
Rate declines for third consecutive years but youth unemployment remains a concern
Moa Jamir
Dimapur | October 10
The unemployment rate (UR) in Nagaland has seen a significant decline for the third consecutive year, reflected the sixth annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report released by the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Monday evening.
During the period from July 2022 to June 2023, the unemployment rate in the 15 years and above category halved to 4.3%, as against 9.7% registered in the June 2021-July 2022 period, it highlighted.
To provide context, this rate was 19.2% in 2020-21 and as high as 25.7% in 2019-20, earning Nagaland the unflattering distinction of having one of the highest unemployment rates among the States and Union Territories (UTs) in India.
However, since 2019-20, the State has witnessed a continuous fall in the UR according to the annual survey.
Nagaland's status, however, remained above the All-India average of 3.2 in the 15 years and above category.
Among the North-East States, Meghalaya had the highest UR at 6%, followed by Arunachal Pradesh (4.8%) and Manipur (4.7%). The rates in the rest were as follows: Mizoram and Sikkim (2.2%), Assam (1.7%), and Tripura (1.4%).
In the 15 years and above category, Lakshadweep had the highest UR among the states and UTs in India at 11.1%, followed by Goa and Andaman & Nicobar Island, each at 9.7%.
In the working-age population (15-59 years), the UR in Nagaland also declined from 9.7% in 2021-22 to 4.6% in 2022-23. The national average was 3.4%.
Meanwhile, among those employed in Nagaland, 67% identified themselves as self-employed (44.9% were own account workers, and 22% were helpers in household enterprises). A total of 27.6% were receiving regular wages/salary, while 5.4% were casual workers. The All-India average for self-employed individuals was 57.3%, while those receiving regular wages/salary stood at 20.9%.
Youth Unemployment
While the overall UR has fallen to a low level, unemployment among youth, defined as those in the 15-29 years age group in the survey, remains high in Nagaland.
According to the survey, a total of 18.5% of those in this age cohort were unemployed, compared to the national average of 10%.
The rate was the second-highest among the NE states after Manipur at 19.7%, with Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh following closely at 18% and 17.6%, respectively. The rates in other NE States were: Mizoram (11.9%), Sikkim (10.2%), Tripura (6.1%), and Assam (4.3%).
Across India, the UT of Lakshadweep had the highest youth unemployment at 41.6%, followed by Ladakh (28.1%) and Goa (27.4%).
Nagaland's rate was primarily driven by a relatively higher UR among males at 20.8%, compared to the female ratio of 15.6%. Youth unemployment was also higher in urban areas in Nagaland at 21.8%, compared to 12.7% in rural areas. This trend was consistent with the national trend, where youth UR in rural areas was 8%, compared to 15.7% in urban areas. The national averages for females and males were more or less the same at 9.7% and 10.6%, respectively.
In terms of unemployment among educated persons in Nagaland, defined as those who have attained the educational level of secondary and above in the PLFS, it was 11% in Nagaland, compared to the All-India rate of 6.4%. It was highest among those who have attained post-graduate and above level education at 26%, followed by 12.8% among graduates.
What is PLFS?
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) has been conducted annually by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI since 2017, and the sixth annual report is based on data collected for the period July 2022-June 2023. The major objectives of PLFS are to measure employment and unemployment across the country.
The unemployment rate (UR) cited in the survey is defined as the percentage of unemployed persons in the labor force and is based on usual status, which estimates persons who either worked or were seeking/available for work for a relatively long part of the 365 days preceding the date of the survey, and those from the remaining population who had worked for at least 30 days during the reference period.
According to MoSPI, for the latest report, the survey in Nagaland covered 72 villages, 576 households, and 2,609 persons in rural areas, while 56 blocks, 448 households, and 1,733 persons were sampled for urban areas.
