Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - India (Ratification: 1992)

Article 3 of the Convention. Consultations with organizations of employers and workers. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, indicating that the survey methodology, concepts and definitions applied in the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) are developed under the guidance of advisory committees constituted by the National Statistical Commission (NSC), involving relevant stakeholders. However, the Committee observes that no specific consultations have been reported with the social partners regarding the design or revision of concepts, definitions and methodologies used in the collection and publication of statistics under this Convention. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide more detailed and concrete information – such as dates, agendas and minutes of meetings – on how the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations are consulted in designing or revising the concepts, definitions and methodology used for the collection, compilation and publication of the statistics required under the Convention.

Article 7. Statistics of the economically active population, employment and unemployment. The Committee notes that the statistics of the economically active population, employment and unemployment, from the Periodic Labour Force Survey, continue to be regularly transmitted to the ILO for dissemination via the ILO Department of Statistics (ILOSTAT), with the most recent data dating from 2024. The Committee also notes the information provided by the Government indicating that the NSSO of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), has been conducting the PLFS since April 2017. The results are disseminated through quarterly bulletins and annual reports, providing key indicators such as the labour force participation rate, worker population ratio and unemployment rate.

Furthermore, the Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government and observes that the implementation of the standards contained in Resolution I concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization, adopted in 2013 by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS), is under consideration. In this regard, the Committee requests the Government to continue providing up-to-date information and data, particularly any updates regarding the implementation of Resolution I of the 19th ICLS on “Statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization”. The Committee also requests the Government to provide further details on the implementation of the Resolution concerning statistics of employment relations, adopted at the 20th ICLS in 2018, as well as the Resolution concerning statistics of the informal economy, adopted by the 21st ICLS in 2023. Finally, taking into account the above information, the Committee invites the Government to consider formally accepting the obligations arising from this Article, in accordance with Article 16(3) of the Convention.

Article 8. Statistics of the structure and distribution of the economically active population. The Committee notes that the last census was conducted in two phases: the house listing phase, which began on 1 April 2010, and the population enumeration phase, carried out from 9 to 28 February 2011. It recalls that, according to the Labour Statistics Recommendation, 1985 (No. 170), statistics on the structure and distribution of the economically active population should be compiled at least once every ten years to meet long-term needs for detailed analysis and benchmarking purposes. Noting that the next census is planned for 2027, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the forthcoming population survey and, once available, detailed methodological information and results from future censuses.