Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, May 24: India’s employment landscape saw a significant boost in March 2025, with 16.33 lac new employees registering under the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and 14.58 lac net additions reported by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), according to data released by the ministry of Labour and Employment.

The ESIC figures reveal that 31,514 new establishments were brought under the ESI Scheme during the month, expanding the social security coverage to more workers across sectors.

Notably, 7.96 lakh of the total new ESIC enrollees—nearly 49 per cent—were young workers aged up to 25 years, highlighting a strong youth representation in formal employment.

In a significant gender-related development, 3.61 lac women were enrolled in March under ESIC. Additionally, 100 transgender employees were also registered during the period, underscoring ESIC’s efforts to include all sections of society in its social security network.

Meanwhile, the EPFO reported 14.58 lac net additions in March, reflecting a 1.15 per cent rise over the previous month’s figures. Of these, 7.54 lac were new subscribers, marking a 2.03 per cent monthly and 0.98 per cent annual increase.

The age group of 18-25 years dominated EPFO enrolments, with 4.45 lac new subscribers—58.94 per cent of the total new additions—indicating growing formal employment among younger demographics.

Another key trend was the rejoining of approximately 13.23 lac members who had previously exited the EPFO system, suggesting stability and growing confidence in the formal job market.

While the figures are provisional due to continuous data updates, the latest numbers highlight steady employment generation and an expanding social security net across India.