The Union government is planning changes to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) to improve how India measures employment, gig work and other forms of economic activity that may not be fully captured by conventional employment statistics.
According to a report published by The Hindu on October 23, 2026, the revised survey will include questions on digital platform workers, unpaid household activities, caregiving, volunteer work and trainee roles. It will also introduce additional questions to measure labour underutilisation.
The proposed changes are being led by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). A press release and concept note issued in New Delhi outlined modifications to the survey's sampling design, scheduled to begin in January 2027.
Why Is the Government Changing the PLFS?
The PLFS is a key source of official information on India's labour market. Its findings help policymakers understand employment patterns, unemployment and labour force participation.
However, the nature of work has changed considerably with the growth of digital platforms, flexible work arrangements and activities that do not necessarily generate direct wages. Capturing these activities more accurately can help provide a broader picture of how people spend their working time and participate in economic and social life.
The proposed revisions aim to make the survey more responsive to these changing patterns. Changes to sampling and survey questions may also help researchers distinguish between different forms of employment and identify people whose willingness or availability to work is not reflected adequately in headline employment figures.
1. Gig and Digital Platform Workers to Be Captured
One of the key proposed changes is the inclusion of questions designed to identify workers engaged through digital platforms.
This category can include people whose work is arranged through online platforms and apps. As platform-based services become more prominent, measuring this activity can help policymakers better understand how people participate in the labour market.
More detailed information could help distinguish platform-based work from other forms of self-employment and conventional salaried employment. The usefulness of the data will depend on how the revised survey defines these categories and records workers' participation.
2. Unpaid Household and Caregiving Work
The revised survey is also expected to capture unpaid household activities, caregiving, volunteer work and trainee roles.
These activities can involve substantial time and effort even when they do not generate a direct income. Recording them separately can provide a fuller picture of how people allocate their time and contribute to households and communities.
The proposed questions could also help researchers examine the relationship between unpaid responsibilities and participation in paid employment. However, unpaid work should not automatically be treated as formal employment; the survey's definitions and classifications will determine how each activity is recorded.
3. Additional Questions on Labour Underutilisation
The government also plans to add questions to measure labour underutilisation.
Unemployment figures alone do not capture every form of difficulty in the labour market. Some people may want to work more hours, be available for additional work or face barriers that prevent them from using their skills fully.
Additional survey questions could help identify these situations and provide policymakers with a more detailed understanding of the gap between available labour and the work people are able to obtain.
4. Sampling Design Changes From January 2027
According to the report, the NSSO has proposed changes to the PLFS sampling design beginning in January 2027, alongside revisions to the survey schedule.
Sampling design matters because it affects how information is collected and how accurately survey results represent the wider population. The revised approach will need to maintain consistency and reliability while accommodating the additional categories of work.
The detailed methodology, definitions and implementation arrangements will be important for researchers and users of official employment statistics.
What the Changes Could Mean for India
Better labour-market data can support decisions on employment policy, skill development, social protection and economic planning. More detailed information about gig workers and unpaid activities may also help researchers understand groups whose work patterns differ from conventional full-time employment.
For businesses, reliable employment data can inform workforce planning and broader economic assessments. Organisations seeking help with wider operational and compliance needs can explore Other Services.
The proposed PLFS revisions represent an effort to broaden the measurement of work in India. Their effectiveness will ultimately depend on clear definitions, consistent data collection and transparent publication of the resulting statistics.