White-collar employment in India showed modest but promising growth in January 2026, up 3% from the previous year. The surge was propelled by robust hiring in non-IT domains and a surge in entry-level positions.
According to Monday’s Jobspeak Index report, BPO/ITeS dominated with a staggering 21%+ increase. Hospitality and travel followed suit at 15%, insurance at 7%, and healthcare at 5%. These areas are proving vital in a diversifying economy.
Contrastingly, banking and financial services saw a sharp 15% decline. The IT sector held steady with no net change, though AI/ML jobs skyrocketed by 34%, highlighting niche opportunities.
For three straight months, BPO/ITeS has been a top performer with double-digit annual gains. Fresher hiring in this sector leaped 39% in January, while mid-senior roles (13-16 years) grew 9%.
Tier-2 cities emerged as hotspots: Jaipur up over 66%, Ahmedabad over 43%. Foreign MNCs drove over 80% of the hiring spike, investing heavily in India’s talent pool.
Geographically, Pune led with 23% growth, followed by Chennai at 18%, Bengaluru at 17%, and Ahmedabad at 16%. This distribution reflects a broadening job geography beyond metros.
Dr. Pawan Goyal, Naukri.com’s Chief Business Officer, expressed optimism: ‘Consistent year-on-year growth in BPO/ITeS and hospitality is heartening. Indian IT MNCs are also performing well, a positive sign for 2026.’
This data underscores a job market adapting to global trends, with non-traditional sectors stepping up to create opportunities for diverse professionals.