Archive · 20 Sep 2026
India's Festive Season Expected to Add 2.5 Lakh Jobs
Companies in India expect to hire many temporary and gig workers during the festive season.
About 2 to 2.5 lakh jobs may be created between July and December.
Hiring could increase by 15 to 20 per cent compared with earlier periods.
Online shopping, stores, delivery companies, travel businesses and hotels will need more workers.
Many jobs will involve delivering packages, storing goods and helping customers.
New roles will also manage online orders, returns, inventories and fraud support.
Smaller cities are expected to provide nearly half of the workers needed.
More freshers, women and first-time workers may get these opportunities.
India is expected to create 2 to 2.5 lakh seasonal and gig jobs from July to December.
Festive-season hiring is projected to grow by 15 to 20 per cent, according to NLB Services.
E-commerce, quick commerce, retail, logistics, travel and hospitality are preparing for increased demand.
Tier-II and Tier-III cities are expected to account for around 45 per cent of festive hiring demand.
Last-mile delivery, warehousing, retail sales, customer service and newer operational roles will drive recruitment.
- Who
- E-commerce, quick-commerce, retail, logistics, travel and hospitality employers, with NLB Services reporting the trend.
- What
- An estimated 2 to 2.5 lakh seasonal and gig jobs are expected to be created, with festive hiring rising 15 to 20 per cent.
- When
- During July to December, with workforce planning beginning about 12 to 14 weeks before the festive peak.
- Where
- Across India, including Tier-II and Tier-III cities such as Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore, Surat, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, Chandigarh and Kochi.
- Why
- Businesses are preparing for concentrated periods of higher festive-season demand and want to build talent pools earlier.
- Expected jobs
- 2 to 2.5 lakh seasonal and gig roles
- Hiring growth
- 15 to 20 per cent
- Covered period
- July to December
- Tier-II and Tier-III share
- Around 45 per cent of total festive hiring demand
- Planning window
- About 12 to 14 weeks before the festive peak
- Key sectors
- E-commerce, quick commerce, retail, logistics, travel and hospitality
- Emerging roles
- Inventory controllers, returns specialists, customer-resolution executives, marketplace operations professionals and order-management specialists