Source: DD News
Subject: Economy
Context: The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation launched the National Industrial Classification (NIC) 2025, a major revision to India’s economic activity coding system, during the 75th-anniversary celebrations of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in Udaipur.
About National Industrial Classification (NIC) 2025:
- What it is?
- A standardized six-digit classification system for categorizing all economic activities in India, replacing the earlier five-digit NIC-2008.
- History: First introduced in 1962, with revisions in 1970, 1987, 1998, 2004, and 2008.
- Aim: To reflect India’s evolving economic structure, improve granularity, and align with the UN’s International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) Revision 5.
- Key Features:
- Explicitly includes emerging sectors like cloud services, blockchain, platform-based services, renewable energy, waste management, and AYUSH.
- Introduces new classes for intermediation services (logistics, real estate, food services) and environmental remediation.
- Will serve as the standard framework for all official statistics, surveys, and policy design in India.
About National Sample Survey Office (NSSO):
- What it is?
- India’s premier institution for large-scale sample surveys across socio-economic domains.
- Established: In 1950 by Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis.
- Aim: To collect and analyse nationally representative data on topics like employment, health, education, industries, and prices.
- Key Features:
- Headed by a Director General under the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
- Comprises four divisions:
- Survey Design and Research Division (SDRD): Kolkata-based; designs surveys and methodologies.
- Field Operations Division (FOD): Manages nationwide data collection through zonal and regional offices.
- Data Processing Division (DPD): Handles sample selection, software, and data validation.
- Survey Coordination Division (SCD): Coordinates activities and publishes the journal Sarvekshana.
- Conducts key surveys such as the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) and Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
