In News:

India will conduct its 8th Economic Census (EC) in 2027, following the completion of the Population Census (2026–27). The announcement was made by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). Data from the upcoming Economic Census will be used to establish a Statistical Business Register (SBR), a comprehensive database of enterprises across the country.

Economic Census (EC)

The Economic Census is a complete count of all establishments engaged in the production and/or distribution of goods and services (excluding those for sole household consumption) within India’s geographical boundaries.

Key Facts

• First conducted: 1977
• Conducting authority: Ministry of Statistics &Programme Implementation (MoSPI) through the National Statistics Office (NSO)
• Implemented in collaboration with Directorates of Economics and Statistics (DES) of States and UTs
• Covers both organised and unorganised sector establishments

Purpose

The EC provides disaggregated data on the number, type, location, ownership, and operational characteristics of establishments. This data supports:

• Evidence-based economic planning
• Employment and enterprise mapping
• Sectoral and regional policy formulation

Statistical Business Register (SBR)

The 8th EC data will be used to build India’s Statistical Business Register, which will:

• Create a unified list of all enterprises in the country
• Track whether enterprises are active, dormant, or closed
• Improve the quality and consistency of national economic statistics
• Enable better sampling frames for future surveys

The government is also working on harmonisation and standardisation of data across ministries and states to improve statistical reliability.

Population Census (2026–27)

The Population Census will precede the Economic Census and will be conducted in two phases:

1. House-listing and housing census: April–September 2026
2. Population enumeration: February 2027

Key Facts

• Conducted under the Census Act, 1948 and Census Rules, 1990
• Led by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
• The upcoming exercise will be India’s 16th decennial Census (first synchronous census in 1872)

Importance

The Census is the largest source of primary data at village, town, and ward levels. It provides information on:

• Population size and distribution
• Housing and amenities
• Literacy and education
• Work and economic activity
• Migration, fertility, and demographic trends
• Social composition (SC/ST), religion, and language

Significance of Sequencing EC After Census

Conducting the Economic Census after the Population Census allows for:

• Updated administrative and geographical frames
• Improved sampling accuracy
• Better alignment of demographic and economic data