The opposition's allegations aside, the rate of unemployment is actually rising in the country, especially among the backward classes, the government admitted in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

In reply to a question during Question Hour, Minister of State for Planning Rao Inderjit Singh said that overall unemployment was rising, but the rate was highest among the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

While the overall unemployment rate is 5 per cent, it is 5.2 per cent for the OBCs, the minister said.

The unemployment rate was 4.9 per cent in 2013, 4.7 per cent in 2012 and 3.8 per cent in 2011.

For the Scheduled Castes, the unemployment rate was 3.1 per cent in 2011, which has now risen to 5 per cent.