India’s White-Collar Job Market Set For Hiring Surge In Second Half Of 2025: Report

India’s white-collar job market is set for a sharp rise in hiring in the latter half of 2025, with 72 per cent of employers planning workforce expansion through net new job creation, according to Naukri’s bi-annual Hiring Outlook report released on Friday.

The report, based on inputs from 1,300 employers across sectors, revealed that 94 per cent of companies intend to hire during the second half of the fiscal year. This signals strong confidence in India’s professional job landscape despite global uncertainty.

Despite global concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) driving job cuts, the report found that 87 per cent of employers do not expect AI to significantly impact employment levels.

On the contrary, 13 per cent see AI as a catalyst for job creation, especially in emerging roles.

Sectors most likely to benefit include IT (42 per cent), Analytics (17 per cent), and Business Development (11 per cent), where companies anticipate new AI-driven opportunities.

Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri, said, “It is encouraging to see that 72 per cent of employers are planning workforce expansion through net new job creation, rather than just replacement hiring. Equally noteworthy is that nearly 87 per cent of employers do not foresee significant job losses due to AI – a striking contrast to the global narrative around AI-led job cuts.”

Specialised Tech Roles in High Demand

The report highlighted that 37 per cent of employers plan to hire for IT positions, with demand shifting towards emerging technologies such as machine learning, data science, and AI-driven skills. These roles are increasingly becoming critical across industries as companies modernise operations.

Mid-level professionals remain the most sought after, with 47 per cent of employers planning to recruit candidates with 4-7 years of experience. Entry-level hiring (up to 3 years of experience) accounts for 29 per cent of planned recruitment.

Meanwhile, only 17 per cent of employers plan to hire candidates with 8-12 years of experience, and just 3 per cent are looking for professionals with 13-16 years’ experience, reflecting the emphasis on younger and mid-level talent pools.

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