White-collar hiring in India is showing strong momentum, with a 2% month-over-month (MoM) and a significant year-over-year (YoY) growth, according to the latest foundit Insights Tracker, a monthly report by the job platform foundit (formerly Monster APAC & ME). Leading this surge is the consumer electronics sector, which saw a remarkable 70% YoY spike, while the logistics and transportation sector fueled MoM growth with a 5% uptick. Senior management roles emerged as a key focus area, registering the highest YoY growth at 36%, signalling robust leadership hiring. Among cities, Mumbai stood out with the strongest YoY growth at 23%. These trends reflect growing sectoral resilience, innovation, and a strategic push towards long-term, sustainable workforce development.

“The consistent rise in white-collar hiring reflects India’s shifting economic landscape and the growing demand for skilled talent,” said Anupama Bhimrajka, VP of marketing at foundit. “From leadership to entry-level roles, industries are showing resilience and agility, with metros leading the way and tier-2 cities quickly gaining ground. Encouragingly, diversity hiring has evolved into a strategic priority, with organisations embedding inclusion into core HR practices to drive meaningful representation for women, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups.”

Over the past two years, diversity hiring in India has evolved from a compliance-driven mandate to a strategic workforce priority, growing by 53%. Women have seen the most significant gains, particularly in early-career and mid-level roles. Hiring for persons with disabilities (PwD) has also improved, albeit modestly, supported by more inclusive workplace designs.

Despite positive year-over-year (YoY) growth, the month-over-month (MoM) change for May 2025 showed a slight decline of 2%, indicating a temporary slowdown in hiring momentum. However, this minor dip does not overshadow the consistent efforts and ongoing commitment to advancing diversity hiring over the past year.

The share of women in diversity hiring grew from 53% to 68% this year, reflecting a strong focus on gender inclusion. Meanwhile, hiring for persons with disabilities (PwD) rose from 2% to 5%, highlighting an expanding commitment to inclusive talent acquisition.The IT-software and services sector grew its share of diversity hiring from 19% to 23%, while BFSI dipped from 30% to 21% over the last year. Sectors like e-commerce, retail, telecom, FMCG, and manufacturing are advancing on their DEI journeys, with manufacturing and automotive showing promising shifts towards gender inclusion through automation, smart factories, and targeted upskilling.Metro cities continue to lead women-centric hiring, driven by proactive initiatives in BFSI and IT leadership pipelines. Mumbai and Pune are at the forefront, offering structured return-to-work programmes and implementing diversity quotas in mid-to-senior management roles. Interestingly, tier-2 cities such as Coimbatore, Jaipur, and Chandigarh are rapidly catching up through targeted skilling programmes and the development of women-led entrepreneurship zones — demonstrating that inclusive hiring is no longer confined to metro corridors.

Further, hiring trends across experience levels reveal a strong year-on-year trajectory, despite minor month-on-month fluctuations. Entry-level roles (0–3 years of experience) saw a slight 3% MoM dip but maintained robust 19% YoY growth, reflecting sustained demand for early-career talent. Mid-level professionals (4–6 years) witnessed a 3% MoM increase and a solid 16% YoY rise. Those with 7–10 years of experience recorded a marginal 2% MoM decline yet posted an impressive 31% YoY jump — indicating a growing need for experienced, hands-on professionals.

Hiring for candidates with 11–15 years of experience remained steady MoM, with a 12% YoY increase. Interestingly, demand for senior professionals (over 15 years) rose by 4% MoM but declined 8% YoY, pointing to a more selective approach in leadership hiring.