White-Collar Hiring Up 2% in September Driven by AI/ML: Naukri Report

India’s white-collar employment market registered modest growth in September 2026, expanding 2% year-on-year, according to the latest monthly Naukri JobSpeak Index. The index climbed to 3,053 points, up from 3,002 points recorded in the corresponding month of the prior year, signaling steady recruitment activity.

The hiring expansion was driven primarily by an acceleration in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) openings, which surged by 20% year-on-year, alongside strong gains across the automotive and manufacturing sectors. However, overall recruitment growth remained range-bound as traditional mass-hiring sectors—including legacy IT/software services, education, and pharmaceutical verticals—continued to exercise hiring restraint.

Key Takeaways

• 2% Overall YoY Expansion: The Naukri JobSpeak Index rose to 3,053 in September 2026, improving from 3,002 in September 2025.
• Record Growth in AI/ML Roles: Openings for AI and ML specialists grew 20% year-on-year, marking the strongest single sectoral expansion on the platform.
• Auto Sector Maintains Momentum: The automotive and manufacturing domain posted 11% year-on-year growth, supported by electric vehicle (EV) supply chain investments and festive automotive production ramps.
• Divergence Across Metros: Hyderabad led major tech hubs with 9% YoY growth, followed by Chennai (+6%), while Bengaluru and Kolkata grew 4% each. Conversely, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai both contracted by 6%.
• Experienced Talent Outperforms Entry-Level: Demand remained heavily concentrated among mid-to-senior professionals with 8+ years of experience, while fresher and junior hiring remained subdued.
• Softness in Legacy Verticals: Traditional IT and software services, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, and edtech recorded negative to flat hiring patterns.

1. Sectoral Dynamics: Specialized Tech Drives the Rebound

The September JobSpeak numbers highlight a widening bifurcation in enterprise recruitment strategies:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|               SECTORAL HIRING VELOCITY: SEPTEMBER 2026 (YoY)                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Sector / Vertical              | YoY Growth Trend         | Key Demand Drivers                    |
+--------------------------------+--------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| **AI / Machine Learning**      | **+20.0%** (Record High) | GenAI pipelines, data engineers, LLMs |
| **Automotive & Auto Ancillary**| **+11.0%**               | EV R&D, connected tech & manufacturing|
| **Global Capability Centres**  | Positive Uptick          | Enterprise analytical captives in Hyd |
| **Traditional IT / Software**  | Marginal Decline / Flat  | Maintenance & legacy bench management |
| **Pharma & Healthcare**        | Subdued / Negative       | Cost rationalization & margin pressure|
| **Hospitality & Education**    | Moderate Decline         | Reduced intake following early peaks  |
+--------------------------------+--------------------------+---------------------------------------+

                          HIRING GROWTH COMPOSITION (SEPTEMBER)
                                            │
        ┌───────────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────────┐
        ▼                                                                       ▼
OUTPERFORMING DOMAINS                                           LAGGING RECRUITMENT DOMAINS
• AI / ML Engineering: +20% YoY                                 • Core IT / Services: Under pressure
• Auto & Component Manufacturing: +11% YoY                      • Pharma & Healthcare: Muted replacements
• High-end Data Analytics & Architecture                        • Edtech & Education: Ongoing consolidations

2. Geographic Performance: Southern Tech Corridors Lead

Hiring trends diverged sharply across India’s Tier-1 and metropolitan centers:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|               METROPOLITAN HIRING PERFORMANCE: SEPTEMBER 2026                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| City / Corridor                | YoY Hiring Trend (%)     | Contributing Factors                  |
+--------------------------------+--------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| **Hyderabad**                  | **+9.0%**                | GCC expansions & AI center rollouts   |
| **Chennai**                    | **+6.0%**                | Auto manufacturing & SaaS demand      |
| **Bengaluru**                  | **+4.0%**                | Product tech and startup stabilizing  |
| **Kolkata**                    | **+4.0%**                | BFSI back-office and retail logistics |
| **Pune**                       | **0.0% (Stable)**        | Balanced between auto and IT services |
| **Mumbai**                     | **-6.0%**                | Slower hiring in BFSI & media         |
| **Delhi-NCR**                  | **-6.0%**                | Slower retail tech & corporate hiring |
+--------------------------------+--------------------------+---------------------------------------+

Southern technology hubs—notably Hyderabad and Chennai—outperformed western and northern business centers due to accelerated setup activity among Global Capability Centres (GCCs), which are actively hiring senior engineering talent for AI integration.

3. Experience Brackets: Senior Experience Over Entry-Level Intake

The report observed an ongoing shift in enterprise recruitment toward senior capability acquisition:

• Senior Professionals (8–12+ Years): Enterprises are prioritizing domain experts, system architects, and team leads who can deploy production AI systems immediately without long onboarding cycles.
• Entry-Level & Freshers (0–3 Years): Campus hiring and fresher intake remained disciplined as corporations continue optimizing headcount utilization and training existing benches on internal automation tools.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

By how much did white-collar hiring grow in September 2026?

According to the Naukri JobSpeak Index, white-collar hiring grew 2% year-on-year in September 2026, with the index moving from 3,002 to 3,053 points.

Which sector led hiring growth in September?

The AI/ML (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) sector led all segments with a 20% year-on-year increase in job postings, followed by the auto sector at 11%.

Which cities recorded the highest job growth?

Hyderabad recorded the highest growth among metropolitan cities with a 9% YoY increase, followed by Chennai (+6%), and Bengaluru and Kolkata (+4% each). Delhi-NCR and Mumbai contracted by 6% each.

What experience level is most in demand?

Experienced professionals with 8 or more years of experience saw the strongest demand as companies prioritize specialized technical capabilities over entry-level volume hiring.