Most of the unemployment in India is structural in nature. Examine the methodology adopted to compute unemployment in the country and suggest improvements.

Survey architecture

The Periodic Labour Force Survey of the National Statistical Office replaced the quinquennial NSSO rounds in 2017 and, since 2025, gives monthly estimates.

Activity status approaches

Usual Status covers 365 days, Current Weekly Status counts one hour of work in seven days as employment, and Current Daily Status uses half-days; EPFO payroll and the Labour Bureau's Quarterly Employment Survey supplement it.

Low work threshold

The one-hour and 30-day tests count the underemployed as employed, hiding disguised unemployment in farms that hold about 46% of workers.

Skill mismatch unseen

The survey asks whether people work, not whether the job fits their education.

Women and divergence

Unpaid helpers count as self-employed, care work is ignored, and CMIE often reports far higher rates.

Measure underutilisation

Publish ILO 19th ICLS (2013) measures of underemployment and the potential labour force.

Skill-match and admin data

Add a skill-match module and triangulate EPFO, ESIC and e-Shram records, with the Time Use Survey for women's work.