Artificial intelligence and machine learning hiring grew 37% y-o-y in March

Bengaluru: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning hiring grew 37 per cent y-o-y in March, and growth was steepest at the highest salary levels - the Rs 50 lakh per annum band led at 55 per cent, Rs 40-49 LPA saw a 40% growth and Rs 30-39 LPA saw a 41 per cent growth, according to Naukri JobSpeak.

It said Kolkata led AI/ML hiring with 56% y-o-y growth, with Delhi NCR close behind at 44 per cent - both outpacing the established tech hubs of Bengaluru and Hyderabad in this particular domain.

The country's white-collar job market concluded the financial year on a strong note, with the Naukri JobSpeak Index reaching 2858 in March, clocking a 9 per cent y-o-y growth.

Interestingly, fresher hiring (0–3 years) grew 16 per cent y-o-y, with growth distributed across both metro and non-metro markets. Demand for talent in the Rs 20 LPA salary band expanded 16%. Unicorn hiring also emerged as a bright spot, which witnessed a 24 y-o-y surge.

"FY'26 has closed on a distinctly stronger note than last year, marked by the sustained resilience of non-IT sectors and tier II cities. What stood out in March was high-value talent in demand across the board; from freshers commanding premium salaries to AI/ML roles seeing sharpest traction at the 50+LPA band," Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer, Naukri, said. He added that the foundation heading into FY27 looks solid.

While the hospitality sector posted a 21 per cent y-o-y growth, led by a 49% surge in fresher hiring, the education sector witnessed a 15% growth, primarily led by growth in startup hiring (27 per cent), the report added.

Additionally, emerging cities maintained their momentum throughout the last fiscal year, with the southern and western corridors leading the way.