The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is redesigning the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) to reflect the changing nature of employment in India. The revised survey framework is scheduled to come into effect from January 2027.
The reform will improve the measurement of emerging forms of work, including gig and platform employment, unpaid domestic and caregiving activities, volunteering and unpaid trainee work. It will also provide a clearer picture of women’s participation in economic activity.
Better Coverage of Gig and Platform Workers
MoSPI began experimentally collecting information on digital platform workers in January 2026. However, the existing sampling framework was not adequately capturing such workers.
Under the revised PLFS, a separate Second Stage Stratum (SSS) will be created for households with digital platform workers. A screening question will identify whether any household member worked through a platform during the previous 365 days.
Platforms such as Ola, Uber, Zomato, Amazon and Urban Company will be covered.
The survey will also examine the nature of platform work, including the services provided, use of multiple platforms, reasons for choosing this form of employment and challenges such as uncertain income, long working hours, occupational risks and limited social security.
This is important as India’s gig workforce is expected to expand substantially in the coming years, making reliable data essential for labour and social-security policies.
Beyond Conventional Employment Statistics
The revamped PLFS will capture activities that are often invisible in conventional employment data. These include household production, unpaid domestic work, caregiving, volunteering and unpaid training.
Questions will cover activities such as cooking, cleaning, collecting water, caring for children and elderly persons, and producing goods or services for household use.
The survey will distinguish between activities undertaken for personal consumption and those performed for sale.
Women’s Labour Force Participation
The changes are particularly relevant for understanding women’s economic participation. MoSPI’s Time Use Survey 2024 highlighted a substantial gender gap in unpaid domestic and caregiving responsibilities.
The revised PLFS will also ask whether individuals sought paid work during the previous 30 days, whether they currently want employment and, where applicable, why they did not seek work.
This can help identify how household responsibilities and unpaid care work influence women’s labour-market participation.
Time Poverty
A heavy burden of unpaid domestic and caregiving work can create time poverty, leaving individuals with limited time for paid employment, education, skill development and other economic opportunities.
Measuring such activities will therefore provide valuable insights into gender inequality and women’s economic empowerment.
Updating the Sampling Frame
The new PLFS will adopt an updated sampling framework reflecting changes in urbanisation, settlements and administrative boundaries. The Urban Frame Survey will support the urban component, while the rural Census 2011 framework will be updated to improve coverage.
Significance of PLFS Revamp
The revamped PLFS represents a broader approach to measuring India’s workforce. It will:
- Improve visibility of gig and platform workers.
- Capture unpaid domestic and care work.
- Strengthen gender-sensitive labour statistics.
- Reflect changing population and urbanisation patterns.
- Support better policies on employment, social security and women’s workforce participation.
5 FAQs – PLFS Revamp
What is the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)?
The PLFS is a labour statistics survey conducted by MoSPI to measure employment, unemployment and labour-force participation in India.
When will the revamped PLFS framework be implemented?
The revised PLFS framework is scheduled to come into effect from January 2027.
How will the new PLFS capture gig and platform workers?
A separate Second Stage Stratum (SSS) will be created for households with digital platform workers, identified through a screening question covering platform work during the previous 365 days.
Why is unpaid domestic and caregiving work being included?
The revamped PLFS will capture activities such as cooking, cleaning, childcare, elderly care and household production, helping provide a better understanding of women’s economic participation and time poverty.
What is the significance of the PLFS revamp?
It will improve the measurement of gig employment, unpaid work, women’s labour-force participation and changing employment patterns, supporting better employment and social-security policies.
