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New Delhi: India's white-collar hiring market gathered momentum in August, with recruitment activity rising 14% year-on-year, driven by strong demand for artificial intelligence, machine learning and specialised
technology professionals, according to a Naukri report.
The Naukri JobSpeak Index climbed to 3,028 in August 2026 from 2,664 in the same month last year.AI and machine learning roles led the hiring momentum, recording 31% growth.
Auto, Healthcare and Retail Lead Hiring
Among major sectors, automobile hiring increased 19%, followed by healthcare at 16% and retail at 15%.
Insurance recruitment grew 12%, while IT hiring rose 11%. Banking and FMCG recorded 10% growth each. BPO/ITES, oil and gas, and real estate registered an 8% increase.
Pharma and biotech hiring remained flat, while hospitality and travel declined 4% and education fell 8%. Fresher Hiring Rises 15% India's job market also remained favourable for freshers, with entry-level recruitment rising 15%. Hiring for professionals with four to seven years of experience increased 10%. Demand for candidates with eight to 12 years of experience rose 16%, while recruitment in the 13-16-year category jumped 18%. AI, GenAI, Big Data & Cybersecurity Drive Global Tech Hiring Despite 2.3% Job Market Decline Healthcare and life sciences roles recorded 34% growth, followed by media production and entertainment at 33%, engineering hardware and networks at 30%, and BFSI, investments and trading at 29%. Hyderabad Tops Metro Hiring Among major cities, Hyderabad recorded the strongest white-collar hiring growth at 23%, followed by Kolkata at 22% and Chennai at 20%. Bengaluru and Pune grew 14% each, Delhi-NCR 10% and Mumbai 7%. IT/software services hiring increased 11%, while demand for IT and information security professionals surged 32%. Global Capability Centre (GCC) hiring rose 10%, led by Hyderabad at 28% and Chennai at 21%, highlighting continued demand for specialised technology talent across India's major business hubs.
