February brought blockbuster news for India’s salaried workforce: white-collar jobs grew 12% year-on-year, hitting 3,233 on Naukri’s JobSpeak Index versus 2,890 last year. The Tuesday report highlights a market firing on all cylinders.
January-to-February growth hit 23%, outpacing the usual 13-16%. Fresh talent (0-3 yrs) enjoyed 17% YoY uplift, and ₹20L+ roles demanded 23% more hires.
By industry, insurance topped charts at +28%, with BPO/ITeS (+22%), property (+19%), travel/hospitality (+15%), and retail (+14%) close behind. IT shook off inertia with +6%, propelled by AI/ML’s 49% surge.
Deep dive into IT: sub-₹20L steady; ₹20-50L +19%; over ₹50L +45%. IT freshers +8%, Indian MNCs +55%, AI/ML in IT +40%. Non-IT stole the show for entry-level volume.
‘23% MoM growth reflects IT’s real turnaround and Indian MNCs’ AI push,’ said Dr. Pawan Goyal, Naukri CBO. He called the pre-FY momentum ‘powerful and optimistic.’
MoM stars: BPO/ITeS +48%, insurance +42%, retail +39%, hospitality +39%. High-salary freshers +30% YoY; 13-16 yr pros +50%.
Indian MNCs grew hiring 24%, leading AI/ML at +82% against foreign +43%. As economic indicators align, February’s data forecasts a hiring boom into the new fiscal year, blending resilience and cutting-edge demand.