India's White-Collar Job Market Expands 12% Annually in February 2026
India's white-collar employment landscape demonstrated robust growth in February 2026, registering a significant 12% year-on-year increase according to the latest Naukri JobSpeak Index report. This expansion was primarily propelled by the accelerating adoption of artificial intelligence technologies and a meaningful recovery within the information technology sector.
Strong Performance Across Key Metrics
The Naukri JobSpeak Index, which meticulously tracks job market trends through new postings and recruiter searches on Naukri.com's extensive resume database, climbed to 3,233 points in February 2026. This marks a substantial rise from 2,890 points recorded in February 2025, representing the strongest February performance observed in recent years.
On a month-on-month basis, hiring activity demonstrated even more vigorous momentum, accelerating by 23% between January and February 2026. This growth significantly outpaced the typical 13–16% increase historically seen during this transitional period, indicating particularly strong hiring sentiment as the fiscal year approaches its conclusion.
IT Sector Leads Recovery with AI Focus
The information technology sector, a cornerstone of India's white-collar employment, recorded over 6% annual growth in hiring during February. Within this sector, recruitment of freshers showed particular strength with an 8% increase. India-based multinational IT companies emerged as the driving force behind this resurgence, posting an impressive 55% jump in hiring activity.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning roles maintained exceptionally strong demand throughout the month. AI/ML hiring surged 40% year-on-year, highlighting a pronounced concentration of recruitment in high-skill, high-value technology segments. This trend underscores the growing strategic importance of AI capabilities within India's technology ecosystem.
Broad-Based Growth Across Sectors
Beyond the technology sector, multiple industries contributed to the overall hiring momentum. Freshers' hiring across all sectors grew by a healthy 17% annually, while demand for premium roles in the Rs 20 lakh-per-annum salary bracket increased by 23%. This dual strength at both entry-level and experienced talent segments reflects a balanced and sustainable employment recovery.
Non-IT sectors provided substantial support to the broader hiring landscape:
- Insurance led with 28% growth
- BPO/ITES followed with 22% expansion
- Real estate demonstrated 19% increase
- Hospitality and travel grew by 15%
- Retail sector posted 14% growth
Domestic Companies Accelerate AI Investments
Indian multinational companies expanded their overall hiring by 24% in February 2026, demonstrating particular enthusiasm for artificial intelligence talent. Within the IT segment specifically, AI/ML roles sustained an even stronger trajectory with 49% year-on-year growth.
Indian multinational corporations increased their AI/ML hiring by a remarkable 82%, compared to 43% growth by foreign multinational companies. This substantial disparity indicates that domestic enterprises are accelerating their investments in cutting-edge technologies at a faster pace than their international counterparts operating in India.
Positive Outlook for New Fiscal Year
Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri, expressed optimism about the current trends, stating, "IT hiring is recovering meaningfully, and Indian MNCs are investing in AI talent at a healthy pace. The underlying momentum heading into the new fiscal year looks genuinely solid."
The Naukri JobSpeak Index serves as a comprehensive barometer of India's formal employment market, capturing real-time hiring intentions through systematic analysis of job postings and recruiter search behavior. The February 2026 data suggests a strengthening employment landscape as businesses prepare for the upcoming fiscal year with increased confidence in both current operations and future technological investments.
