Statistics Ministry Proposes PLFS Changes to Include Unpaid Work and Digital Platform Workers

India’s labour data collection mechanism is set for a significant update starting January next year. The Ministry of Statistics has proposed comprehensive changes to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) to better capture unpaid activities and the growing segment of digital platform workers across the country.

According to the official statement, the ministry has floated a concept note and invited suggestions from stakeholders before finalising the modifications. Under the proposed changes, new questions have been added to the survey schedule to track own-use production of goods, unpaid household and caregiving activities, volunteer work, and unpaid trainee work. These items will be surveyed in both rural and urban areas during the first visit only for individuals aged 15 years and above, enabling annual reporting on these non-market activities.

The ministry noted that a substantial proportion of women in India spend considerable time on unpaid household and caregiving tasks such as cooking, cleaning, childcare, and caring for elderly, sick, or disabled family members. While these activities contribute significantly to household well-being and enable other members to participate in paid employment, they have not been measured separately in the PLFS until now.

In addition to unpaid work, the survey schedule has been modified to measure labour underutilisation on an experimental basis. This adjustment aims to provide a more nuanced picture of labour market conditions by capturing different dimensions, with estimates and related data to be evaluated following further examination and consultations.

To address the changing nature of modern employment, the survey is also introducing measures to better track gig and digital platform workers. Experience from PLFS showed that previous arrangements failed to capture an adequate number of these workers. Consequently, an additional binary question is being introduced to identify households with at least one member who has ever engaged in digital platform work during the specified reference period. This will facilitate the formation of a separate Second Stage Stratum (SSS) to improve the coverage of digital platform workers.

Furthermore, to ensure a better representation of the current population—particularly in urban areas—the National Statistical Office (NSO) has proposed drawing fresh samples for the 2027–2028 period. These samples will be based on an updated frame that reflects recent urbanisation, de-urbanisation, and administrative changes such as the creation, splitting, or merger of districts and other administrative units.

"The inclusion of unpaid work and digital platform workers in official labour surveys is a necessary step towards recognizing modern economic contributions. For businesses, startups, and policymakers, having accurate data on the gig economy and non-market activities will provide clearer insights into workforce dynamics and consumer behavior in India." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes