India’s unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in the July–September quarter, down from 5.4% in the previous three months, driven by higher rural employment during the farming season and an increase in female workforce participation, data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics showed. The unemployment rate among those aged 15 years and above declined in rural areas to 4.4% from 4.8%. In contrast, urban unemployment inched up to 6.9% from 6.8%, with the rate among urban women rising slightly to 9.0% from 8.9%, while among men, it held at 6.2%, up marginally from 6.1% in the previous quarter. The overall labour force participation rate (LFPR) edged higher to 55.1% from 55.0%, while female participation continued its upward trend, increasing to 33.7% from 33.4%.