Indian job market in 2025 starts on a positive note with 4% growth

chennai: india's white-collar job market saw a 4% year-on-year (yoy) growth in january 2025, driven by strong hiring in fmcg (+16%), insurance (+15%), and pharma (+11%), according to the naukri jobspeak index. the index stood at 2,550 points, indicating a steady hiring environment.while it hiring remained largely flat (-1%), jaipur emerged as a key growth driver with a 38% surge. rajasthan cities like jodhpur (+35%) and udaipur (+32%) also showed remarkable hiring momentum. the retail sector, recovering from a prolonged slump, posted 1% growth, with bangalore and delhi ncr leading the revival.fresher hiring saw a 3% uptick, led by the beauty & wellness sector (+21%) and kpo/research/analytics (+26%). meanwhile, unicorn startups posted a 25% surge, with hyderabad (+74%) and chennai (+60%) leading the hiring spree.the aviation and aerospace industry recorded a 33% yoy growth, with delhi ncr witnessing a 77% hiring surge. the media & entertainment sector grew by 14%, with mumbai driving expansion. advertising & marketing hiring rose by 4%, with chennai (+24%) and pune (+18%) emerging as new talent hubs.naukri's chief business officer, dr. pawan goyal, noted that the year started on a promising note, signaling robust hiring trends across key industries.