Yes. You read that right. For decades, workers from Uttar Pradesh have migrated to industrial cities in Maharashtra, Gujarat or southern India to work in factories. However, now, as India’s factories are employing more people, Uttar Pradesh also deserves to be mentioned in discussions about industrial employment.
In 2024–25, approximately 2.10 crore people were employed in registered manufacturing establishments, up from 1.96 crore the previous year. This means that the sector employed around 14 lakh additional people in a single year, an encouraging development for young people considering a career in manufacturing.
What is less talked about is Uttar Pradesh’s steadily expanding share of employment in registered manufacturing. The state’s share of India’s total registered manufacturing employment rose from 8.30 per cent in the previous year to 8.72 per cent in 2024–25. It still remains behind industrial giants like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat, but its share is certainly growing.
Of course, the figures represent employment across registered manufacturing establishments, not current vacancies or opportunities specifically for freshers. Having said that, however, the figures do question the assumption that industrial employment is limited to only a few traditional hubs.
For young people in northern India, it is important to know whether there is any meaningful expansion in industries closer to home. India’s industrial employment map is not limited to its traditional hubs. And young jobseekers should not assume that their options are, either.