White-Collar Hiring in India Surges 12% in February 2026, IT Sector Recovers and AI Roles Skyrocket: Report
The month-on-month increase from January to February stood at 23 per cent, higher than the typical 13–16 per cent rise seen between the two months, according to data compiled by Naukri JobSpeak Index. Fresher hiring (0–3 years of experience) grew 17 per cent YoY. Demand for roles in the 20+ LPA salary band increased 23 per cent, the report said.
New Delhi, March 3: India’s white-collar job market witnessed its strongest February performance in recent years, registering a 12 per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase to 3,233 from 2,890 in year-ago period (February 2025), according to a report released on Tuesday. The month-on-month increase from January to February stood at 23 per cent, higher than the typical 13–16 per cent rise seen between the two months, according to data compiled by Naukri JobSpeak Index. Fresher hiring (0–3 years of experience) grew 17 per cent YoY. Demand for roles in the 20+ LPA salary band increased 23 per cent, the report said.
Sector-wise, insurance led with 28 per cent growth, followed by BPO/ITES at 22 per cent, real estate at 19 per cent, hospitality/travel at 15 per cent and retail at 14 per cent. The IT sector grew 6 per cent after remaining stable in preceding quarters, while AI/ML roles increased 49 per cent year-on-year, the report stated. Within IT, hiring in salary bands below 20 LPA remained flat. Roles in the 20+ LPA band grew 19 per cent YoY, while 50+ LPA roles surged 45 per cent, the report said. Deepinder Goyal Hiring Engineers for Neuroscience Startup Temple With Strict Fitness Criteria for Applicants; Check Name of Roles.
During the period, fresher hiring in the IT sector rose 8 per cent. Indian IT MNCs recorded 55 per cent YoY growth in hiring, while AI/ML hiring within IT increased 40 per cent. Overall fresher hiring growth was led by non-IT sectors. According to Dr Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer, Naukri, 23 per cent month-on-month growth reflects meaningful IT recovery and strong AI investments by Indian MNCs. Hiring in India 2026: Around 52% of Tech, Banking Professionals Say Their Companies Plan To Increase Recruitment Amid Mass Layoffs in US.
"The underlying momentum heading into the new fiscal year looks genuinely solid,” Goyal said. BPO/ITES hiring rose 48 per cent YoY, Insurance 42 per cent, Retail 39 per cent and Hospitality 39 per cent. Fresher roles in the 20+ LPA band grew 30 per cent YoY. Professionals with 13–16 years of experience saw 50 per cent growth. Indian MNCs overall expanded hiring by 24 per cent YoY. In AI/ML, Indian MNCs posted 82 per cent growth compared to 43 per cent among foreign MNCs.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 03, 2026 01:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).