"After a substantial dip in hiring levels at the start of 2009, confidence seems to be returning," global management and professional recruitment services firm Antal International said adding that the professional jobs market in India has made a substantive recovery after a major loss of confidence at the start of 2009.

"Current hiring levels (for India) are up to 47 per cent from 29 per cent in the last report," Antal International said in its report titled 'Global Snapshot'.

"The period of panic and unilluminated gloom does finally seem to be behind us. Recovery may still be a good way off, but it could be that we are now better prepared to pave the way to it than we have been for quite some time," Antal's CEO Tony Goodwin said.

In India 47 per cent of respondents said that they are currently hiring at managerial or professional level. Around 48 per cent said that they expect to hire at the managerial level in the coming quarter.