New Delhi, Jun 26 (KNN) Hiring in India’s MSME sector grew 25 per cent in 2025–26 and has maintained momentum into FY27, according to a report released on Thursday by early-career talent platform Apna.
The findings are based on an analysis of over 4.5 lakh job postings on the talent firm’s online platform.
Sales and business development accounted for 40 per cent of all skills sought by MSMEs in FY26, up from 36 per cent in FY25, making it the largest contributor to overall skill demand, PTI reported, citing the report.
The most in-demand roles included telesales, accounting and taxation, field sales and customer support, reflecting sustained appetite for frontline and operational talent as businesses expand.
AI Skills See Sharp Uptick
Demand for roles requiring AI-related skills grew by 164 per cent in FY26, signalling that MSMEs are moving beyond experimentation and beginning to embed artificial intelligence into everyday business operations.
Apna Jobs CEO Kartik Narayan said, “India’s MSMEs are entering an AI era. The 164 per cent growth in demand for AI-related skills shows that artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from experimentation to everyday business use. For workers, AI literacy is becoming an employability skill. For small businesses, AI is becoming a productivity and hiring tool.”
He added that AI was helping smaller businesses access candidate sourcing, screening and hiring capabilities that were previously available only to larger enterprises with dedicated HR teams.
Talent Base Spreading Beyond Metros
The report found that nearly two-thirds of MSME job demand remained concentrated in tier I city clusters, but noted that workforce participation is expanding beyond metropolitan markets. Tier II cities accounted for 30 per cent of all applicants in FY26, while tier III markets were identified as the next significant growth opportunity.
Narayan said the combination of rising non-metro talent and AI-powered productivity tools was creating a more level playing field for businesses and workers alike, and that the next phase of MSME growth would be driven not only by access to capital but by access to skilled talent.
(KNN Bureau)
