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Naukri JobSpeak Sep 2026: AI/ML hiring up 20%, fresher hiring flat

Invisipilot News Desk ·

Written with AI assistance from the cited sources

Key points

  • JobSpeak index: 3,053 in September 2026 versus 3,002 a year earlier (+2%).
  • AI/ML roles +20% YoY; IT/software services −4%; inside IT, AI/ML hiring still grew 11%.
  • Fresher (0–3 years) hiring +1%; 8–12, 13–16 and 16+ year bands grew 5–7%. The index does not cover campus placements.
  • Metros: Hyderabad +9%, Chennai +6%, Bengaluru and Kolkata +4%, Delhi NCR and Mumbai −6%.
  • Takeaway: if you're a fresher, AI-adjacent skills, GCCs and sectors such as BFSI and healthcare currently look like the better bets.

Source: Naukri.com (Info Edge) – Naukri JobSpeak, 6 Oct 2026

What the September data shows

Naukri released its JobSpeak report for September 2026 on 6 October. It is the most recent monthly edition; the next one, covering October, is expected in early November. The headline index, built from job listings and recruiter searches on Naukri.com, came in at 3,053, up 2% on September 2025's 3,002.

Growth was uneven. Artificial intelligence and machine learning roles rose 20% year on year, auto hiring 11%, and both BPO/ITES and global capability centre (GCC) hiring 4%. IT/software services fell 4%, as did pharma/biotech and FMCG, while hospitality/travel dropped 11% and education 18%.

Experience matters more than ever

According to Naukri, hiring for people with up to three years of experience grew only 1%. One caveat: Naukri's published methodology says the index leaves out campus placements, so on-campus offers are not reflected in that figure. The 4–7 year band slipped 2%, while the 8–12, 13–16 and 16+ year bands grew by 5%, 7% and 5%.

Inside IT, where overall demand shrank, AI/ML hiring still grew 11%. The biggest jump was for the 13–16 year band (+54%), though entry-level AI/ML postings in IT also rose 19%.

Info Edge MD and CEO Hitesh Oberoi called it a market that is "steady, but more selective".

Cities and GCCs

Hyderabad led the metros at +9%, ahead of Chennai (+6%) and Bengaluru and Kolkata (+4% each). Pune was flat; Delhi NCR and Mumbai each fell 6%. For GCCs, Hyderabad grew 23%, Chennai 13% and Pune 11%.

Info Edge publishes the full index, including industry tables, as a PDF in the investor relations section of its website.

Why it matters for Indian job seekers

  • If you're a fresher, consider adding a data, ML or AI-testing project to your profile. It's one of the few segments where entry-level demand is clearly growing, while general IT services openings are not.
  • Look beyond IT: Naukri recorded entry-level growth in oil and gas (+21%), banking/financial services (+14%), and pharma/biotech and healthcare (+10% each). Tech-literate graduates could try for analyst, operations or IT roles in these sectors.
  • If you can relocate, consider shortlisting GCC openings in Hyderabad, Chennai or Pune, where Naukri recorded the fastest GCC growth this month.
  • If you have 4–7 years of experience, this was the weakest band. Consider documenting concrete examples of AI tools you have used at work so you can discuss them in interviews.
  • If you're on campus, remember these numbers don't include placement drives, so check your placement cell's data as well.

*Audience note: India-specific data, relevant to Indian job seekers at every experience level.*