NewKerala.com

India's White-Collar Hiring Up 3% in Jan 2026, Led by Non-IT Sectors

India's white-collar hiring saw a 3% year-on-year increase in January 2026, according to the Naukri JobSpeak Index. The growth was primarily fueled by non-IT sectors, with BPO/ITES, hospitality, and healthcare showing significant gains. Notably, AI/ML roles experienced a strong 34% surge in demand, while the IT sector itself remained flat. The report highlighted that foreign multinational corporations were a major force, driving over 80% of the hiring increase.

Key Points: India's White-Collar Hiring Grows 3% in Jan 2026, Non-IT Sectors Lead

  • BPO/ITES hiring surged 21%
  • Hospitality/Travel grew over 15%
  • AI/ML roles rose more than 34%
  • Non-metro cities like Jaipur led growth
  • Foreign MNCs drove over 80% of hiring increase
2 min read

White-collar hiring sees 3 pc growth in India in Jan, non-IT sectors lead

India's white-collar job market grew 3% in Jan 2026, driven by BPO/ITES, hospitality, and healthcare. AI/ML roles surged 34%, while non-metro cities showed strong growth.

"It's encouraging to see sustained year-on-year growth in key sectors like BPO/ITES and Hospitality. - Dr Pawan Goyal, Naukri"

New Delhi, Feb 2

India's white-collar hiring began 2026 on a steady footing, with a 3 per cent rise in January, driven by non-IT sectors and fresher hiring, a report showed on Monday.

Non-IT sectors were the primary drivers of this growth, with BPO/ITES surging more than 21 per cent, hospitality/travel climbing over 15 per cent, insurance advancing more than 7 per cent, and healthcare gaining more than 5 per cent, as per the Naukri JobSpeak Index.

Banking and financial services was one major non-IT sector to see a decline, slipping 15 per cent (on-year). Meanwhile, the IT sector remained flat for the month. Within this landscape, AI/ML roles sustained strong momentum with a more than 34 per cent rise.

Over the past three months, BPO/ITES has consistently ranked among the top 5 sectors for double-digit YoY growth.

In January 2026, hiring in the sector rose 21 per cent YoY, supported by broad-based demand across experience levels, including a strong 39 per cent increase in fresher hiring and a 9 per cent rise among professionals with 13-16 years of experience. Non-metro cities emerged as key drivers, with Jaipur (more than 66 per cent) and Ahmedabad (over 43 per cent) posting standout contributions.

Foreign multinational corporations (MNCs) were a major force behind this surge, contributing more than an 80 per cent increase in hiring activity, said the report.

"It's encouraging to see sustained year-on-year growth in key sectors like BPO/ITES and Hospitality. These areas have shown consistent momentum over recent months and have kicked off 2026 on a strong, positive note. Equally promising is the robust performance from Indian IT MNCs, which bodes well for the overall job market," said Dr Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer, Naukri.

Geographically, the uptick was spearheaded by Pune (over 23 per cent), Chennai (+18 per cent), Bengaluru (+17 per cent), and Ahmedabad (+16 per cent), reflecting strong contributions from both established southern hubs and fast-emerging western markets, the findings showed.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

A
Aman W
While 3% growth is positive, the 15% decline in Banking/Financial services is worrying. That's a major employer. Hope this is a temporary blip and not a sign of broader issues in the finance sector.
R
Rohit P
The AI/ML roles growing at 34%+ shows where the future is! Young engineers should focus on upskilling in these areas. The IT sector being flat is a reality check, diversification into new tech is key.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see foreign MNCs driving 80% of the hiring surge. It highlights India's continued attractiveness as a global talent hub, especially in service sectors. Pune and Chennai's numbers are impressive!
K
Karthik V
Good to see non-IT sectors taking the lead. For too long, the narrative was only about software jobs. Hospitality, healthcare, insurance – these are massive employment generators for our demographic. Bas banking sector thoda concern hai.
N
Nisha Z
The 39% increase in fresher hiring in BPO/ITES is the most heartening part. Lakhs of graduates come out every year desperately needing that first break. Hope the quality of roles is good and not just high-attrition call center jobs.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50