India hiring in September 2026: AI/ML jobs up 20%, but Delhi NCR and Mumbai slow down
25 October 2026 · 2 min read · HireHo
Based on Naukri JobSpeak, September 2026. Summarised in our own words.
India's white-collar job market grew 2% in September 2026 compared with September last year, according to the Naukri JobSpeak index. The index stood at 3053, up from 3002 a year earlier. Growth is slow, but the gap between winning and losing areas is wide.
What is growing
- AI and machine learning roles: up 20%
- Auto sector: up 11%
- BPO and ITES: up 4%, and global capability centres (GCCs): up 4%
- Research and development, and hardware and networks engineering: up 19% each
- Merchandising, retail and e-commerce: up 18%
- Construction and site engineering: up 17%
What is falling
- Education: down 18%
- Hospitality and travel: down 11%
- IT and software services, pharma and biotech, and FMCG: down 4% each
- Healthcare: down 3%
Which cities
Hyderabad led the metros with 9% growth, followed by Chennai (6%), Bengaluru (4%) and Kolkata (4%). Pune was stable. Delhi NCR and Mumbai both fell 6%. Smaller cities were largely flat.
By experience
Freshers saw 1% growth. Mid-level hiring (4 to 7 years) fell 2%, while senior bands grew: 8 to 12 years up 5%, 13 to 16 years up 7%, and 16+ years up 5%.
What it means for job seekers
- If you work in tech, adding AI or data skills is where demand is growing fastest.
- If you live in Delhi NCR or Mumbai, widen your search to include other cities or remote roles.
- Retail, e-commerce, construction and auto are hiring. These sectors need many on-ground and technical workers, not only white-collar staff.
These figures cover jobs posted on one portal, so they show the direction of the market, not every job in India. Source figures are from Naukri's own report.