India at Work 2024: 7 Crore Jobs Sought, Women Shine in Leadership Roles

Mumbai, 26 December 2024: As India moves closer to its $5 trillion economic goal, 2024 marks a transformative year in employment, with Apna.co’s India at Work 2024 report revealing 7 crore job applications—a 25% year-on-year surge. This growth is driven by heightened workforce participation among women and youth, bolstered by flexible work opportunities, gender-focused initiatives, and the expansion of women-led sectors like e-commerce and healthcare. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) highlights the doubling of Women’s Participation Rate to 40% since 2017-18, while 10 million youth are joining the workforce annually, as per the India Employment Report 2024, fueling the country’s economic momentum.

On the supply side, job postings on Apna.co rose by 20% YoY with over 12 lakh openings in 2024, driven by digital adoption, SMB growth, and business expansion into Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Key industries like BFSI, retail, healthcare, and logistics created unprecedented demand, shaping India’s evolving and resilient job market.

Breaking Barriers: Women Drive 2.8 Crore Job Applications in 2024

India’s employment landscape is witnessing a historic shift, with women leading the charge in workforce participation. According to Apna.co’s India at Work 2024 report, women contributed an impressive 2.8 crore job applications—20% higher than 2023—out of a total 7 crore. Tier 1 cities like Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai led this surge with 1.52 crore applications, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, and Bhopal contributed 1.28 crore, marking a significant rise in opportunities beyond metro hubs. Notably, 5,000 new women joined Apna every day in 2024, underscoring its role in empowering women to build meaningful careers.

Companies are recognizing women’s value, with a 28% increase in median salaries in 2024 compared to 2023. Women are excelling across sectors like Healthcare, Hospitality, Retail, and E-commerce, and embracing unconventional roles such as Field Sales, Logistics, and Security Services. Applications for senior and managerial roles surged by 32%, signaling women’s growing influence in shaping India’s new-age workforce.

From Campus to Career: 27% YoY growth in job applications by freshers

India’s fresher job market is thriving, with Apna.co’s India at Work 2024 report revealing a 27% year-on-year increase in job applications, crossing 2 crore. High-growth sectors like IT, Mobility, Retail, BFSI, and Services are driving demand as young professionals propel innovation and expansion. Urban hubs like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad contributed 60 lakh applications, while regions like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar added 82 lakh, showcasing a balanced regional contribution. Notably, 45% of the 37 lakh new fresher users on Apna came from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, reflecting a shift as companies tap into talent beyond metros.Apna’s initiatives, including its AICTE partnership and the launch of apnaCanvas, have played a key role in bridging education and employment gaps, creating equitable opportunities nationwide.

SMBs emerge as top job creator in India, clocks 9 lakh jobs in 2024

India’s Small and Medium Business (SMB) sector, comprising over 63 million enterprises, remains a key economic driver, contributing 30% to GDP and employing millions nationwide. In 2024, SMBs accelerated hiring efforts, posting 9 lakh job openings on apna—a 20% increase from 2023. Notably, job postings for women surged by 60% year-on-year, reflecting a growing focus on gender diversity. Women are increasingly entering traditionally male-dominated industries, underscoring SMBs’ commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces that fuel innovation and performance.

The hiring boom is powered by AI-driven recruitment technologies, with 45% of SMBs on Apna.co adopting AI into hiring. This enabled the creation of 2.4 lakh job postings, reducing talent search time by 30% and hiring costs by 25%. SMBs attracted 6 crore job applications nationwide, leveraging Apna’s reach across 900 cities, including Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions. Hiring growth in cities like Surat, Indore, Nashik, and Varanasi, alongside metro hubs such as Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, reflects a balanced expansion. By embracing technology and diversity, SMBs are driving economic growth and creating opportunities across India.

Reliance Jio, Aditya Birla, HDFC, Kotak, and Bharti AXA led enterprise hiring in 2024

India’s enterprise job market experienced unprecedented growth in 2024, with job postings on Apna.co surging by 32%, surpassing 3.5 lakh across 100+ categories in over 500 cities. This growth reflects the increasing adoption of digital hiring platforms by large enterprises expanding into Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and diversifying into new business verticals. Notably, 45% of these job postings came from non-metro regions, with Tier 2 cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, and Indore recording a 1.5x increase, while Tier 3 cities such as Varanasi, Raipur, and Dehradun witnessed a remarkable 3x jump.

Key industries such as BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, IT-ES, Education, and Manufacturing are at the forefront of this hiring surge. Prominent NIFTY 100 companies like HDFC Ergo, Reliance Industries, and Titan also embraced Apna for hiring for key roles. Gig roles in delivery and mobility saw over 50,000 jobs from food aggregators, transportation and e-commerce companies, while sales roles topped 44,000 postings, and customer support added 35,000 job postings. Functional roles like HR (25,000), Digital Marketing (20,000), and Finance (18,000) underline enterprises’ evolving strategies to tap into new talent pools and expand their market presence.

Digital transformation fuels in Tier 2 cities such as Jaipur, Indore, Lucknow, Chandigarh

With the advent of digital transformation, businesses are not only scaling their operations but also placing greater emphasis on advanced roles such as AI/ML specialists, Data Scientists, and Business Intelligence Analysts. While traditional metro hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru continue to be key talent pools, the rise of digital sectors has led to an increasing demand for these specialized roles in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities as well. Cities like Jaipur, Indore, and Lucknow are emerging as hotspots for such advanced positions, reflecting a shift in hiring strategies as businesses expand beyond metro hubs to leverage local talent. With digital and tech sectors democratizing opportunities, emerging cities are becoming hubs for advanced roles, fostering a more inclusive and distributed workforce in India.

Reflecting on the evolving job market, Nirmit Parikh, CEO & Founder, Apna, shared, “When we started Apna, we always believed we were building not for millions, but for billions of Indians. In 2024, we’ve taken a significant step closer to this vision, touching and impacting countless lives across the nation. Nationwide, 129 job applications were submitted every minute on Apna, with an average of 3,500 job postings daily across all sectors. This multifold growth reaffirms our confidence that we are on the right path, while also reminding us of the immense work still ahead. The availability of tools like AI-driven hiring solutions adopted by 45% of SMBs and resume optimization features used by 77% of job seekers reflects a transformative shift in recruitment. Together, we’re not just filling jobs. We’re fulfilling aspirations and building the future of work in India,”