New Delhi, Oct 4 : India's white-collar hiring activity saw a strong 6 per cent growth (year-on-year) growth in September, driven by a resurgence in IT (18 per cent) and FMCG (23 per cent) sectors, a report said on Friday.

Artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) roles also surged by 31 per cent, reflecting the increasing demand for tech talent.

According to the Naukri JobSpeak Index, India's leading indicator of white-collar hiring activity reached 2,727 points in September. Sectors such as oil and gas (13 per cent) also exhibited strong growth.

The IT sector bounced back strongly in hiring. Interestingly, non-traditional IT hubs showed significant growth, potentially indicating a geographical diversification trend, the report mentioned.

Jaipur led the pack with a 47 per cent YoY increase in IT roles, followed by Kolkata at 32 per cent. The sector also saw a 35 per cent YoY growth in hiring for professionals with over 16 years of experience.

Unicorns and foreign MNCs were key drivers of this growth, with 16 per cent and 14 per cent growth, respectively.

In the FMCG sector, Mumbai and Bengaluru emerged as key drivers, with FMCG roles growing by 49 per cent and 43 per cent, respectively in these cities.

Particularly noteworthy was the 70 per cent YoY growth in hiring for FMCG professionals with over 16 years of experience, indicating a strong demand for senior talent in the sector, the report added.

'The 6 per cent overall growth in hiring activity is heartening, but what's truly exciting is the robust recovery we're seeing in the tech sector after a prolonged period of hiring stress,' said Dr Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer of Naukri.

In the oil and gas sector also demonstrated robust growth. Ahmedabad stood out in this sector, witnessing a remarkable 54 per cent YoY growth.

Global capability centres (GCCs) recorded a 12 per cent YoY growth in hiring. GCCs of management consulting firms led this growth with a remarkable 50 per cent increase, followed by the heavy machinery sector at 40 per cent, said the report.

/IANS