The RBI raised its rate to 5.5%. It expects inflation of 5.8%.
India's first rate hike in 3 years 8 months takes the repo rate to 5.50%. The RBI's own forecast puts inflation at 5.8% for October 2026 to June 2027.
CapitalVia Research Desk ·
Insights · 25 Sep 2026
Naukri JobSpeak · August 2026
India's white-collar hiring grew
14%
year on year in August 2026. The JobSpeak index hit 3,028, up from 2,664 a year earlier. And the fastest-growing group isn't freshers or AI hubs — it's people with 13 to 16 years behind them.
Who got hired: growth by experience band
Year-on-year change in hiring activity, August 2026
0–3 yrs (freshers)
+15%
4–7 yrs
+10%slowest band
8–12 yrs
+16%
13–16 yrs
+18%fastest band
16+ yrs
+13%
+18%
Mid-career is the fastest lane. The 13–16-year band grew faster than freshers (+15%) and the 8–12 band (+16%). In AI/ML roles specifically, hiring for 16+ years' experience more than doubled.
Where the jobs grew: city by city
Year-on-year change in hiring, August 2026 · metros and emerging cities
Bhubaneswaremerging
+32%fastest city
Hyderabadmetro
+23%
Raipuremerging
+23%
Kolkatametro
+22%
Suratemerging
+21%
Chennaimetro
+20%
Ranchiemerging
+19%
Bengalurumetro
+14%
Punemetro
+14%
Delhi NCRmetro
+10%
Mumbaimetro
+7%slowest metro
Which sectors: non-IT leads, IT follows
Year-on-year change in hiring, August 2026
AI / ML roles
+31%
Auto
+19%
Healthcare
+16%
Retail
+15%
Insurance
+12%
IT / Software
+11%
Banking
+10%
FMCG
+10%
BPO / ITES
+8%
Real estate
+8%
Pharma / Biotech
flat
Hospitality / Travel
-4%
Education
-8%
−8%0+31%
What this means for you
SalariedIf you're 13–16 years in, the market wants you more than it wants freshers. Now is a strong window to benchmark your pay against the market.
FoundersHiring is growing fastest outside Mumbai and Delhi. Bhubaneswar, Raipur, Surat and Ranchi all grew 19–32%.
LeadersAuto, healthcare and retail are out-hiring IT. Expect attrition pressure on your experienced, non-tech middle layer.
Read the 14% with care. Naukri itself notes a larger part of the festive season fell in August last year and shifted to September this year, so the year-on-year base is soft. June's growth was 6% and press reports put July at 5%.
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