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Economists Debate India's True Unemployment Rate: 5.6% or Higher?

7/28/2025

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Summary

Story summary

India's unemployment rate stands at a contentious 5.6% for June, yet 37 out of 50 economists argue it's misleading, suggesting a staggering range of 7% to 35%. Amidst this uncertainty, civil service jobs capture the public's imagination, with applications for the preliminary exam soaring to 1.1 million over the past decade, outpacing the modest growth of new graduates by 40%.

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Story summary

India's unemployment rate stands at a contentious 5.6% for June, yet 37 out of 50 economists argue it's misleading, suggesting a staggering range of 7% to 35%. Amidst this uncertainty, civil service jobs capture the public's imagination, with applications for the preliminary exam soaring to 1.1 million over the past decade, outpacing the modest growth of new graduates by 40%.