India's White-Collar Hiring Surges 13% in Dec 2025, Led by Hospitality & Insurance

The robust finish made the October-December period the strongest quarter of the year, recording a 9 per cent annual growth and setting a positive tone for the job market in 2026, according to data compiled by Naukri JobSpeak.

Hiring in hospitality jumped 29 per cent in December, while insurance recorded a 34 per cent rise and real estate grew by 21 per cent, the report said.

The BPO and IT-enabled services sector, which had struggled early in the year, also staged a solid recovery by the final quarter.

Non-metro cities played a key role in this growth, with places like Jaipur and Ahmedabad seeing a surge in hiring activity, especially in BPO and entry-level roles.

High-paying jobs also saw notable traction. Roles offering salaries of over Rs 20 lakh per annum grew 27 per cent overall, with cybersecurity emerging as a clear standout.

Freshers continued to benefit from this broad-based recovery. Entry-level hiring rose 18 per cent by the end of the year, largely driven by non-IT sectors.

Hospitality and insurance led the way, each recording over 50 per cent growth in fresher hiring, followed by BPO and real estate.

Smaller cities such as Kochi, Coimbatore, Jaipur and Ahmedabad were major contributors, as per the report.

The report also noted a rise in hiring by unicorns, which grew 21 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in December.

Southern cities like Chennai and Hyderabad emerged as key hubs, supported mainly by strong recruitment in internet and e-commerce companies.

Commenting on the trend, Dr. Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri, said the consistent strength in non-tech sectors throughout 2025 shows that the shift in hiring patterns is now firmly established.

"The steady increase in entry-level roles across these sectors is encouraging for fresh graduates as the country steps into 2026 with renewed optimism in the job market," he added.

- IANS