After a year of muted single-digit growth, hiring intent has returned to double digits at 11 per cent, up from 9.75 per cent last year, supported by formalisation and regional expansion, says a report. According to the India Decoding Jobs 2026 Report, launched by digital recruitment platform Taggd in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), sectors such as BFSI, manufacturing, and infrastructure are set to drive hiring momentum.
Amid growing concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) disrupting jobs, top technology industry leaders have a clear message for employees -- "stay calm and upskill".
The Budget emerges as a measured, credible and forward-looking policy document that reinforces India's commitment to remaining a stable, reform-oriented economy amid an increasingly fragmented global landscape, says A Balasubramanian.
India's job market continued its upward momentum in February, witnessing 41 per cent year-on-year growth mainly driven by freshers hiring, a report said on Thursday. In February, fresher hiring rose by 26 per cent year-on-year (YoY) reflecting sustained employer demand for entry-level talent, according to data by foundit (formerly Monster APAC and ME), Asia's jobs and talent platform.
Thane-based Chitra Tambe, 28, opens up about how she juggles a full-time career and her growing passion while living in a joint family setup.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva discusses the potential of artificial intelligence to boost global growth, particularly in India, while also addressing the significant risks of job displacement and financial instability.
'There are new job roles that are emerging because of AI.'
Concerns have emerged about the impact of AI adoption on young workers, particularly those seeking their first job in high-skilled occupations.
Macroeconomic data, global geopolitical developments and rising concerns over AI-related disruptions are likely to dictate sentiment in the stock market next week, even as investors may remain cautious amid ongoing volatility, according to analysts.
India's job market is witnessing high mobility with a significant percentage of professionals actively seeking new roles, many are now negotiating for better pay within their current organisations, says a survey. The latest Talent Trends India 2025 report by Michael Page reveals that 62 per cent of professionals have negotiated a raise this year, and 37 per cent succeeded -- signalling a shift toward internal advancement.
'Given that the population is almost evenly split, the Indian economy cannot grow without women participating in the workforce.' 'While women's participation has increased, it is still well below 40 per cent,' says Kartik Narayan, CEO of the professional networking and jobs platform, Apna.
A new study by AI firm Anthropic reveals that while AI hasn't caused widespread unemployment, it has slowed hiring for younger workers in AI-exposed roles. The study also highlights the gap between AI's theoretical capabilities and actual deployment, and the ongoing conflict between Anthropic and the US government over AI weaponisation.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the importance of democratizing Artificial Intelligence as the only fair and safe way forward, highlighting India's significant progress in AI adoption.
Despite the alarming figures on job displacement, AI is expected to generate millions of new roles, echoing historical trends of technological transformation.
Quarter life crises refer to periods when young people experience significant self-doubt, confusion or anxiety about their professional careers, says Shruti Swaroop.
"If you're young, focus on your job and your career. Learn five to 15 useful AI tools. Because the older generation in many organisations won't adopt them as quickly. They won't experiment as freely. They won't move as fast. And if you become AI-enabled, you become more productive. More valuable. More relevant," says Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani.
'The trade deficit in some sectors is huge and that is an area of opportunity to localise.'
India is growing fast, but to keep growing strong, the government must make more things at home, create jobs, and spend money wisely, suggests Rajiv Memani, regional managing partner, Africa-India Region, EY.
'It is too early to conclude that there will be a bloodbath, that there will be no jobs, and that there will be civil unrest.' 'Let's calm down.' 'AI is a tool, it is not a weapon, it is not a virus.'
Anthropic's Claude AI chatbot experienced a second outage within 24 hours, impacting users in various regions. The disruption follows a previous outage and comes amid scrutiny over the AI's capabilities and potential uses.
The size or turnover of a company, or even the salary package offered, no longer prevents employees from quitting, notices rediffGURU Pradeep Pramanik.
India contributes roughly 10 per cent of Samsung Electronics' global revenue and hosts over 10,000 engineers across its R&D centres.
The agreement addresses non-tariff barriers and promotes increased trade in technology products and cooperation between the two countries.
India's clean energy technology industry is experiencing rapid growth, with recruitment increasing significantly due to policy support and investments in green energy. However, challenges remain in talent availability, skills alignment, and gender diversity.
rediffGURU Pankaj Vyavahare, career counsellor and life coach, explains how you can survive in the age of AI.
From a modest salary to Rs 1 crore, here's Ramalingam Kalirajan's smart compounding blueprint for young earners
Budget 2026 sticks to fiscal discipline, shuns populist measures despite five key state elections coming up, but ends up rattling stock markets with a higher transaction tax on derivatives trading.
India's services sector experienced a slight moderation in growth during February, according to the HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index, with new order growth slowing and inflation picking up.
'The day that the market realises that they've overspent (on AI) and there's a sudden collapse in the capex, then India can start outperforming again.'
'When AI comes in, coders in Bangalore or Hyderabad will lose their jobs.'
Two chartered accountants have been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to a cyber fraud involving Rs 641 crore.
'There is not a single job role that doesn't require upskilling these days as technology is changing rapidly.'
White-collar hiring activity in December witnessed a 9 per cent increase compared to the same period of the previous year, driven by high-skill and strategic roles, a report said on Thursday. According to Naukri JobSpeak, the index reached an impressive 2,651 points in December 2024, reflecting a robust 9 per cent year-on-year growth, a promising sign for the year ahead.
India should resist knee-jerk responses to tariff volatility in the US and instead use the current geopolitical churn to build manufacturing scale at home, former G20 Sherpa and former chief executive officer of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday.
Gold prices fell by Rs 400 to Rs 1.6 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Thursday amid weak global trends and receding expectations of an interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve.
The reason is because there aren't any screens for a large mass of Indians.
Ask rediffGURU and PF and MF expert Janak Patel your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Sri City in Andhra Pradesh is dubbed the "Cooling City" of India, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the air conditioners (ACs) manufactured in the country. On Tuesday, this industrial hub added one more feather to its cooling credentials. Carrier Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Ltd, the Indian arm of the oldest AC company in the world, Carrier Global, signed a deal to invest around ~1,000 crore for a new manufacturing unit at Sri City.
Sensitive issues remain. Water sharing of the Ganga and Teesta rivers. Treatment of minorities, particularly Hindus. Border management. Trade imbalances. Connectivity projects.What happens next will shape not just bilateral ties, but the balance of South Asia itself, points out Ramesh Menon.
These practical truths can dramatically improve chances of getting hired in 2026, says Sonica Aron, founder and managing partner of Marching Sheep.
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