Informality and Inclusion: A Critical Analysis of India's Employment Trends in Economic Survey 2025

This paper analyses employment trends to assess the recovery of India's informal sector following the COVID-19 pandemic, using data from the Economic Survey 2025. Significant improvements in unemployment rates, labour force participation, and self-employment, particularly among women, highlight the sector's recovery. However, persistent challenges like wage disparities and uneven sectoral recovery are identified. Recommendations include enhancing entrepreneurial support, gender-sensitive policies, and skill development initiatives.