The central government is set to launch India’s first nationwide household income survey in February 2026, marking a major step towards closing a longstanding data gap in tracking income distribution and inequality. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced the development in a statement on Monday.
The National Household Income Survey (NHIS), to be conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the MoSPI, will collect detailed data on household earnings, spending habits, and sources of income across both rural and urban India. Unlike the periodic consumption and employment surveys, the new initiative is designed to produce direct, comparable estimates of income levels for the first time in India’s statistical history.
“Many countries—both advanced economies such as Canada and the US, and developing nations such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, and Malaysia—collect household income data through national surveys,” the ministry said. “While income estimates can also be derived from National Accounts Statistics (NAS), survey-based data enables a deeper understanding of interpersonal income differences and income-generation patterns.”
The MoSPI added that the NHIS will cover the entire country, aiming to generate comprehensive estimates of total household income, segmented by income sources such as wages, self-employment, property, and remittances.
To prepare for the rollout, the MoSPI completed a pre-testing exercise in August 2025 across 15 regional offices, covering both affluent and non-affluent areas in cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The testing was conducted under the guidance of a technical expert group (TEG) chaired by Surjit S. Bhalla, former executive director for India at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Following the pre-test, the ministry has released the findings and the draft NHIS questionnaire for public consultation. Researchers, policymakers, and citizens have been invited to send feedback—particularly on income components such as wages, self-employment, property income, and remittances—by October 30, 2025.
For decades, India’s assessment of living standards has relied primarily on consumption expenditure surveys, which serve as proxies for income data. The absence of direct income measurement has often limited the accuracy of poverty and inequality analysis.
The upcoming NHIS aims to fill this critical gap, providing policymakers and economists with a more accurate and granular picture of income distribution across states, regions, and social groups. Once operational, the data is expected to significantly refine India’s poverty metrics, welfare indicators, and fiscal planning models.
