PANAJI
Less than a month after official data placed Goa at the topof India’s unemployment chart, the State government has moved to commission itsown study of the job market.
The Department of Planning and Statistics has issued arequest for proposal (RFP) to appoint an agency to conduct a State‑levelemployment survey.
According to the tender, the study will focus on local criteria rather thannational datasets.
Officials argue that existing surveys, including thePeriodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), provide limited insight into Goa’s tourism‑driven,seasonal, self‑employment and informal economy.
The government says this has led to misinterpretation of theState’s employment reality.
The new survey will examine trends, challenges andopportunities, and provide policy recommendations at the State, district andtaluka levels.
The agency selected will be required to complete the study within three months.The methodology will include surveys, interviews, case studies and dataanalysis, with digital information collected using GPS systems.
A large‑scale primary survey of employment and industryacross all districts and talukas is mandated.
The move follows the PLFS report released by the Ministry of Statistics andProgramme Implementation, which showed Goa’s unemployment rate at 8.3 percentbetween January and December 2025.
This was the highest in the country, compared to thenational average of 3.1 percent. Nagaland ranked second at 6.7 percent,followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 6.6 percent. Gujarat reported the lowest rateat 0.9 percent.
In Goa, rural unemployment stood at 11.9 percent, far higher than the 6.1percent recorded in urban areas. Rural men faced 12.1 percent unemployment,while rural women recorded 11.4 percent. In towns, the rate was 6.6 percent formen and 4.8 percent for women.
The State government had previously claimed that figures are inflated becausemany individuals employed in private jobs keep their names on the employmentexchange register in hope of securing government positions. Officials say thisartificially raises the numbers of jobless.
The proposed survey now aims to generate evidence specificto Goa and share it with national institutions. Whether this effort will alterthe State’s image as India’s unemployment capital, however, remains to be seen.
