White-collar hiring experienced a slight 2 percent year-on-year increase in September, primarily fueled by significant growth in AI/ML positions, followed by the automotive sector, according to a report released on Friday.
The Naukri JobSpeak Index indicated that white-collar recruitment remained stable, rising to 3,053 in September compared to 3,002 during the same month last year, as per the report from Naukri.com, the flagship brand of Info Edge.
The Naukri JobSpeak report, a monthly index tracking hiring trends and job market activity in India, is based on new job postings (including free listings) and recruiter searches on the Naukri.com platform.
The report highlighted that roles in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) experienced a 20 percent growth in September, while the Auto sector saw an 11 percent increase.
The report stated that hiring in BPO/ITES and GCC sectors increased by 4 percent each during the month.
Meanwhile, other major sectors such as Insurance, Retail, Banking and Financial Services, and Real Estate showed stability, whereas hiring decreased in IT/Software Services (4 percent), Pharma/Biotech (4 percent), FMCG (4 percent), and Healthcare (3 percent).
Hiring trends remained steady at entry and early-mid career levels, with a 1 percent year-on-year increase in fresher recruitment, while the 4-7 years experience category saw a 2 percent decline.
Demand for seasoned professionals showed growth, rising by 5 percent for those with 8-12 years of experience, 7 percent for 13-16 years, and 5 percent for over 16 years.
Among metropolitan cities, Hyderabad experienced a 9 percent year-on-year growth, followed by Chennai at 6 percent, and Bengaluru and Kolkata at 4 percent each.
Pune maintained stability, whereas Delhi-NCR and Mumbai saw a 6 percent decline each. Hiring activity in emerging cities remained mostly unchanged in September.
The hiring market in September showed stability but demonstrated increased selectivity. Although overall hiring levels remained consistent, there was a noticeable shift in demand toward specialized skills, such as AI, and professionals with greater experience.
According to Hitesh Oberoi, MD and CEO of Info Edge (India) Limited, the differences across sectors and cities emphasize that recruitment is increasingly influenced by specific business and capability requirements.
