India: Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 4.43 percentage points from 21.57% in 2020. Since 1994 it is down 17.44 percentage points from 43.44% in 1994. The World Bank has no value for 19 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

From 2018 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 1.05 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 87% of the movement over 8 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, India had the 64th highest value of the 82 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to India in the 2025 ranking

• Georgia — 61st of 82: 26.78%
• Russian Federation — 62nd of 82: 26.6%
• Hungary — 63rd of 82: 26.31%
• Spain — 65th of 82: 25.35%
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 66th of 82: 25.24%
• Czechia — 67th of 82: 24.9%

What this measures

Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.

Limitations: Data on employment by status are drawn from labor force surveys and household surveys, supplemented by official estimates and censuses for a small group of countries. The labor force survey is the most comprehensive source for internationally comparable employment, but there are still some limitations for comparing data across countries and over time even within a country. Comparability of employment ratios across countries is affected by variations in definitions of employment and population. The biggest difference results from the age range used to define labor force activity. The population base for employment ratios can also vary.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 13 values

Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate) in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 43.56% (2024)
• Bhutan — 20.4% (2025)
• Sri Lanka — 18.55% (2024)

More social protection & labor data for India

• Net migration — -495,753 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum — 238,643 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin — 42,610 (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 15.86% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 45.15% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 31.2% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 34.88% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is India's employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate)?

26% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1994?

It is down 17.44 percentage points from 43.44% in 1994. The highest value was 43.44% in 1994 and the lowest 19.74% in 2018.

How does India rank?

64th highest of 82 economies with data for 2025.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), uri: https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/bulk/, publisher: ILOSTAT, type: external database, date accessed: September 28, 2026.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SL.EMP.1524.SP.NE.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), uri: https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/bulk/, publisher: ILOSTAT, type: external database, date accessed: September 28, 2026 Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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