India’s First-Ever National Income Surveys, NSO 2026: All You Need to Know

 For the first time in India, The National Statistics Office (NSO) is organizing an All-India Workshop of Trainers (AIWOT) for the National Household Income Survey (NHIS) and Annual Survey of Incorporated Service Sector Enterprises (ASISSE). First-ever pan-India surveys mark a significant milestone in addressing long-standing data gaps on household incomes and the corporate services sector and aims to enhance evidence based policymaking, ensuring that government execution aligns with the actual financial realities of citizens and economy.

Key Highlights:

• The National Statistics Office (NSO) under Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has started preparing for India’s first National Household Income Survey (NHIS) and Annual Survey of Incorporated Service Sector Enterprises (ASISSE), these surveys will be conducted for a period of one year starting from April 2026.

• NHIS and ASISSE are designed to provide a high-fidelity map of the nation's economic health. By shifting focus to direct income data and corporate service metrics, India aims to enhance the precision of its socio-economic policies and economic analysis.

• Both surveys will be conducted in a fully digital mode, ensuring faster processing and higher data integrity.

• The AIWOT is a preparatory training programme prior to the launch of the field work of the survey on an all India basis in digital mode.

Why is it a Historic National Household Income Survey and its significance?

The NHIS aims to provide comprehensive information on people’s living conditions and income distribution. The data will support analysis of the relationship between income patterns, economic activity and returns to labour, capital and land, as well as inform policy decisions on universal and targeted interventions for different socio-economic groups. Further, the survey significance lies in:

• Understanding Inequality: Providing comprehensive data on income distribution and living conditions based on household well-being and access to essential goods and services.

• Economic Correlation: Analyzing the relationship between income patterns and returns on labor, capital, and land.

• Targeted Interventions: Informing policy decisions for specific socio-economic groups to ensure that welfare reaches those who need it most.

• Regional Benchmarking: Enabling inter-regional comparisons to identify which states or districts require more economic support.

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What is the All-India Workshop of Trainers(AIWPT)?

The All-India Workshop of Trainers (AIWPT) is a high-level training summit organized by The National Statistics Office (NSO) in Chennai during 28th-29th January 2026 for All-India Workshop of Trainers (AIWOT) for the National Household Income Survey (NHIS) and Annual Survey of Incorporated Service Sector Enterprises (ASISSE). This workshop is critical because:

• It ensures that trainers from across India apply uniform definitions and methodologies.

• It focuses on training surveyors to use digital tools for real-time data collection and digital readiness assessment. 

• The workshop outlines the structure and functioning of the massive workforce that will hit the field in April 2026.

What is the Annual Survey of Incorporated Service Sector Enterprises(ASISSE)? 

ASISSE will develop a comprehensive database on the corporate services sector of the country. The survey is designed to capture key economic characteristics such as Gross Value Added (GVA), fixed capital, capital formation, employment, and emoluments, with estimates at the State and industry levels. ASISSE exclusively covers the corporate segment of the service sector and follows an enterprise-based approach using the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) framework to identify and survey enterprises accurately and also provide specific estimates at both the industry and State levels to help local governments drive growth.

Source: PIB

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