Ernakulam records India’s lowest NEET rate at 9.6%, PLFS data shows

Ernakulam in Kerala has recorded the country's lowest rate of young people not in employment, education or training among the 100 most populous districts, at 9.6 per cent, according to the first district-level labour market estimates released by the National Statistical Office on Friday. The Periodic Labour Force Survey data for 2025 covers about 600 districts. Coimbatore followed at 14.5 per cent and Bengaluru Urban at 15 per cent.

The Times of India reports that in nearly 250 districts, more than 25 per cent of youth aged 15-29 are NEET, with particular concern in northern states like Bihar, UP, Haryana, Punjab and West Bengal. Nearly three-fourths of surveyed districts recorded a female NEET rate above 25 per cent. The data also shows wide variation: Nabarangpur in Odisha had the lowest NEET rate at 4.1 per cent.

Among Delhi districts, East Delhi recorded the highest unemployment rate at 8.3 per cent and North West Delhi at 7.4 per cent, while South Delhi had the lowest female labour force participation at 13.9 per cent. Surat in Gujarat led all major districts in labour force participation at 68.6 per cent. The estimates reveal sharp regional differences in workforce participation, women's employment and youth engagement.