Now Reading: 79% of new UANs in FY26 belong to workers aged 18-30
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79% of new UANs in FY26 belong to workers aged 18-30
Young workers are driving India's formal employment, with 79% of new Universal Account Numbers (UANs) generated in the first quarter of 2025-26 belonging to individuals aged 18-30, according to a report by staffing firm Quess Corp released on Wednesday. Of the over 57,000 new UANs created during the period, the 21-25 age group alone accounted for over 35%, making it the largest cohort entering formal employment.
The report, which analyses EPFO, PLFS and industry data, found that nearly 59% of all new EPFO subscribers in the previous fiscal year were aged 18-25. Nearly 64,000 apprenticeship contracts were facilitated under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, with the automotive sector accounting for over 51% of them. Women constituted nearly 28% of new UANs and received 26% of apprenticeship contracts.
Nearly 69% of the workforce is now deployed across tier II and III cities, the report said. Among organised workers, 96% had completed at least Class 10, 61% had Class 12 or higher, and 30% held graduate or postgraduate qualifications.
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The report's focus on UAN generation and EPFO data provides a measurable, if partial, view of formal employment because not all workers in the organised sector are EPFO members, and many jobs in small firms remain outside this net. The high share of 18-30-year-olds suggests entry-level hiring is robust, but the challenge is retention: India's labour market typically sees high turnover among first-time job seekers. The 64,000 apprenticeship contracts facilitated under NAPS this fiscal year are a tiny fraction of the more than 10 crore young people aged 18-25 in the country, indicating the scale of the skilling gap. Automotive's 51% share of these contracts mirrors that sector's push to meet electric-vehicle and export demand, while women's 28% share of new UANs, though low, is a slight uptick from previous years. Watch the next EPFO payroll data release in October for signs of whether this youth-driven formalisation holds or stalls.
Source: hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com
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