According to Naukri's latest JobSpeak report, Jaipur and Coimbatore are emerging as key locations for fresher hiring, with both cities registering 17% and 16% growth in fresher recruitment respectively. This shift represents a significant change in India's hiring landscape, as companies increasingly look beyond traditional metro hubs for entry-level talent acquisition. The report indicates that these emerging cities are strengthening their appeal for fresh graduates and young professionals seeking employment opportunities.
Global Capability Centres (GCCs) demonstrated mixed performance with overall recruitment declining 1%, as reported by Naukri. However, Chennai and Hyderabad bucked this trend with GCC recruitment surging 19% and 15% respectively. This divergence highlights the continued strength of these established IT and technology hubs in attracting global capability centre investments. The report suggests that while GCC hiring overall declined, these two cities maintained their position as preferred destinations for international business operations.
The report reveals hiring for artificial intelligence and machine learning roles rose 25% year-on-year, as companies stepped up investments in generative AI, automation and data-driven technologies. According to Naukri's analysis, AI hiring within the IT sector grew 16% year-on-year in June, demonstrating where technology companies continue to invest heavily. Hitesh Oberoi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Info Edge, noted that AI is increasingly becoming a core capability area, especially as demand shifts towards more senior and specialised talent.
Core industries showed strong performance with insurance industry recording the strongest hiring growth at 16% year-on-year, driven largely by demand in Chennai and Hyderabad. The FMCG sector followed with 7% increase, while telecom hiring rose 6% and real estate posted 5% growth. However, banking and financial services recorded the sharpest decline with hiring falling 12% year-on-year. IT/software services and hospitality each saw 3% drops, while retail and automobile sectors slipped 2% and 1% respectively, as reported by Naukri.
