March Milestone: Youth and Women Drive (Employees State Insurance) ESI’s Biggest Worker Surge Yet

Image Source: Free Press Journal

India’s formal job market received a major boost in March 2025, with 16.33 lakh new workers enrolling for benefits under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme, according to the latest provisional payroll data from the Ministry of Labour and Employment. This surge reflects both business expansion and a growing awareness of social security among India’s workforce.

Key Highlights:

Youth Surge: Nearly half (7.96 lakh) of the new enrollees are aged up to 25, signaling a significant influx of young, first-time job entrants into the formal sector. This trend highlights the increasing appeal of formal employment and social security among India’s youth.
Women’s Workforce Participation: The data also reveals a notable rise in female participation, with 3.61 lakh women workers registering under the ESI scheme in March. This marks a positive step toward gender diversity and inclusivity in India’s organized labor force.
Transgender Inclusion: For the first time, 100 transgender employees were registered under the ESI scheme, underscoring ESIC’s commitment to extending benefits to every section of society.
Business Growth: A total of 31,514 new establishments came under the ESI umbrella in March—a 33.9% jump from the previous month—reflecting robust business compliance and expansion.
Comprehensive Benefits: The ESI scheme provides medical, cash, maternity, and disablement benefits, as well as family pensions in case of employment-related death, to all registered employees and their dependents.
Continuous Coverage: The payroll data is provisional, as enrolment is an ongoing process, ensuring that more workers are brought under the social security net each month.

This strong growth in ESI enrolment is seen as a positive indicator of India’s formal job creation, social security outreach, and inclusive economic progress.

Sources: The Hans India, News On Air, Economic Times, The Tribune