India’s formal job market witnessed robust expansion in April 2025 with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) adding 19.14 lakh net members, according to payroll data released by the Labour Ministry on Sunday. This marks a 31.31% jump over March 2025 and a 1.17% increase compared to April 2024.The EPFO enrolled around 8.49 lakh new subscribers in April, up 12.49% from the previous month. The ministry attributed the increase to rising employment opportunities, greater awareness of employee benefits, and the success of EPFO’s outreach programmes.Youth dominate new enrolmentsThe 18–25 age group continued to dominate new subscriber additions. Of the total new subscribers, 4.89 lakh (57.67%) were in this age group, reflecting a 10.05% rise over March 2025. In net terms, the age group saw 7.58 lakh additions, marking a 13.60% jump month-on-month.“This trend aligns with earlier data suggesting that most individuals joining the organised workforce are youth and first-time job seekers,” the ministry said.More women enter the workforceApril also saw a sharp increase in female participation. Around 2.45 lakh new female subscribers joined the EPFO — a 17.63% increase over March. Net female payroll additions stood at 3.95 lakh, with a 35.24% rise month-on-month.The ministry said this reflects a broader shift towards a more inclusive and diverse workforce.Around 15.77 lakh members who had previously exited EPFO rejoined in April — a 19.19% increase over March. These members switched jobs but chose to transfer their EPF accounts rather than withdraw savings, ensuring continued social security coverage.Maharashtra leads among statesA state-wise analysis showed that the top five states/UTs contributed 60.10% of the total net payroll additions, amounting to around 11.50 lakh net additions. Maharashtra led the tally, contributing 21.12% of the total.Other major contributors included Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana, each accounting for over 5% of net additions during the month.The EPFO data, based on monthly returns filed by employers, offers an indicator of trends in formal job creation in the country