Tinsukia: As Assam prepares for Assembly elections expected in April–May, recent data on employment present a mixed picture of modest progress alongside persistent structural challenges, particularly among the youth.
The Economic Survey of Assam 2025–26, released on February 11 by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, draws on Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data for 2023–24 and places the state’s overall unemployment rate (age 15 and above) at 3.9%. This marks an increase from 1.7% in 2022–23 and remains above the national average of 3.2%.
Urban areas continue to face greater stress, with unemployment at 7.4%. Urban women are the most affected, recording a rate of 11.8%, while rural males stand at 3.6%.
The survey also reports a sharp rise in registered educated job-seekers, reaching 21.16 lakh in 2024, underscoring a widening gap between educational attainment and available employment opportunities. At the same time, labour force participation in Assam has risen to 66.9%, significantly higher than the national average of 60.1%.
While highlighting initiatives such as the Chief Minister’s Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan — which supported over one lakh applicants in 2025 with financial assistance of up to Rs 5 lakh, the survey notes concerns over declining factory employment, which fell by 9.85% in 2024. Rural sectors such as sericulture, engaging nearly three lakh families, and tea, employing around seven lakh workers, continue to provide livelihood support but have limited capacity to absorb the growing educated workforce.
The PLFS Annual Report 2023–24, released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in September 2024, places national youth unemployment (15–29 years) at 10.2%, with urban female unemployment at 20.1%. A recent analysis estimates Assam’s youth unemployment at 6.1% in 2023–24, down from 8% the previous year, though concerns persist regarding educated youth.
Academic research echoes these findings. A study by Niranjan Das of Duliajan College, published in August 2025, highlights elevated unemployment among rural youth aged 18–35, attributing it to limited agro-industrial expansion and outward migration. The study recommends vocational training aligned with local economic resources to address structural imbalances.
Other research papers published in late 2025 and early 2026 attribute rising urban unemployment partly to post-pandemic labour market shifts and call for more targeted policy interventions. An evaluation of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) finds it moderately effective in strengthening rural livelihoods but suggests improved targeting to reduce informal employment.
With over two crore voters, including a significant number of first-time voters under 25, employment is likely to remain a central electoral issue. Analysts note that while welfare schemes and entrepreneurship initiatives have expanded, sustained job creation in formal and industrial sectors will be crucial to addressing long-term concerns.
As the state heads into the polls, the challenge for political parties will be to translate demographic potential into durable employment opportunities, ensuring that economic aspirations are matched by credible policy responses.