White-collar hiring in India saw a notable boost in October, with a year-on-year increase of 10%. Key sectors driving this growth include oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and information technology (IT), according to a recent report.
A standout trend was the impressive rise in roles related to artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), which grew by 39% compared to the previous year and 2% month-on-month. Specifically, positions for machine learning engineers experienced a remarkable 75% growth. The IT sector, despite some fluctuations earlier in the fiscal year, has shown positive hiring trends in four out of the last seven months, suggesting a strong outlook for the remainder of the year.
After a sluggish start, hiring for fresh graduates also showed encouraging signs, increasing by 6% year-on-year in October. Dr. Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri, emphasized that this uptick reflects growing business confidence and presents promising opportunities for new graduates entering the job market.
In the IT sector, unicorn companies led the way with a 28% rise in white-collar hiring. Additionally, multinational corporations (MNCs) and global capability centers (GCCs) in IT, which had previously seen slower growth, recorded significant increases of 5% and 10%, respectively. Overall, GCCs exhibited consistent growth with a 17% year-on-year rise in October.
The festive season contributed to a notable uptick in data-focused positions, and southern states of India demonstrated exceptional growth in white-collar hiring. Tamil Nadu stood out with a 24% increase, followed by Telangana at 16%, Karnataka at 12%, Andhra Pradesh at 9%, and Kerala at 7%. Senior roles and strategic hires continued to fuel growth in the job market, with FMCG and pharmaceutical sectors actively seeking experienced professionals.
This report indicates a positive trend in the Indian job market, particularly for white-collar roles, suggesting a thriving environment for both experienced professionals and recent graduates.
