White Collar Hiring Rises 3% in January Led by Non-IT and Fresher Demand

India’s white-collar job market opened 2026 on a mildly positive note, with hiring activity recording steady year-on-year growth in January, supported mainly by non-IT industries and entry-level recruitment, as per PTI report. 

Hiring Trends in January 

According to Naukri’s JobSpeak Index, white-collar hiring rose 3% year-on-year in January, with the index reading improving to 2,637 points compared with 2,550 a year earlier. The data points to gradual but broad-based improvement in recruitment sentiment. 

Fresher hiring showed stronger traction, increasing 8% year-on-year, indicating expanding opportunities for entry-level candidates across sectors. 

Sectors And City Drivers 

Non-IT industries powered most of the growth. BPO/ITES hiring jumped 21% year-on-year, while hospitality and travel grew 15%, insurance 7%, and healthcare 5%. In contrast, banking and financial services recruitment declined 15% over the same period. 

IT sector hiring remained broadly flat overall, though demand for artificial intelligence and machine learning roles surged 34%. Indian IT multinationals recorded stronger activity, with hiring rising 32%, and roles offering salaries above ₹20 lakh per annum increasing 10%, even as total IT hiring dipped slightly. 

BPO/ITES continued its strong run, featuring among the top growth sectors for three straight months. Fresher hiring in the segment rose 39%, and senior professional hiring (13–16 years’ experience) increased 9%. 

Non-Metro Cities Outperforms 

Non-metro cities outperformed major hubs, with hiring up 66% in Jaipur and 43% in Ahmedabad. Foreign multinationals significantly stepped up recruitment, recording over 80% growth in hiring volumes.  

Healthcare recruitment remained stable across experience bands, led by cities such as Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, with Indian MNC hiring in the segment rising 30%. 

Read More: Budget 2025 vs 2026: How India’s Fiscal Strategy Has Evolved! 

Conclusion 

Overall, January’s hiring data suggests a measured recovery pattern, with fresher demand and non-IT sectors carrying the job market forward while core IT hiring remains selective. 

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