India to Track Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs in New National Business Survey

The Government of India has proposed a significant revision to its national survey of unincorporated enterprises, introducing dedicated questions to identify the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in operating and managing their businesses. The proposed changes to the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) 2027–28 aim to improve the availability of detailed economic information and strengthen evidence-based policymaking for India’s vast unincorporated business sector.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced the proposed revisions on 26 October 2026. For the first time, the survey will specifically examine gender-related constraints affecting women entrepreneurs. The revised questionnaire will also collect additional information on electricity sources, investment in fixed assets and establishments engaged in traditional manufacturing activities such as handloom weaving and handicrafts.

Another major proposal involves shifting the survey period from the calendar year to the financial year. Under the revised framework, ASUSE 2027–28 will be conducted from April 2027 to March 2028, aligning its reporting period with other major national enterprise surveys. The Ministry has invited comments from researchers, policymakers, government departments and other stakeholders before finalising the proposed questionnaire.

National Statistics Office to Examine Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs

One of the most important proposed changes is the introduction of questions designed to identify gender-specific constraints experienced by women entrepreneurs. Although existing economic surveys provide information about business ownership and operations, the revised ASUSE questionnaire will collect additional details about difficulties that women may encounter while managing their establishments.

According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the new questions aim to improve understanding of the circumstances affecting women-led businesses within the unincorporated sector. The information will help researchers and policymakers examine the factors influencing women’s participation in entrepreneurial activities and the operation of their enterprises.

The proposed addition represents an expansion of the survey’s analytical scope. Instead of relying entirely on general business indicators, researchers will be able to examine gender-related constraints as a separate area of investigation. This could support more detailed assessments of how operating conditions differ among enterprises and whether women entrepreneurs experience challenges requiring particular policy attention.

The Ministry has not presented the proposed questions as findings about the actual difficulties faced by women entrepreneurs. Rather, the revised questionnaire is intended to generate the statistical evidence needed to examine those issues systematically. The precise findings will emerge only after the survey has been conducted and the collected information has been analysed.

Unincorporated Enterprises Play an Important Role in India’s Economy

India’s unincorporated non-agricultural sector comprises a wide range of economic establishments operating across manufacturing, trade and services. These businesses vary considerably in size, organisational structure, investment capacity and working conditions. Many operate on a relatively small scale but collectively contribute substantially to employment, household livelihoods and economic activity.

The sector also maintains important economic connections with larger incorporated enterprises. Small establishments frequently participate in manufacturing supply chains, distribution networks and service activities that support businesses operating across different parts of the economy. Their performance therefore has implications for employment, production and wider economic development.

Recognising the importance of this sector, the National Statistics Office (NSO) has conducted the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises since 2021–22. The survey provides statistical information about the characteristics, economic activities and operating conditions of establishments within the unincorporated non-agricultural economy.

The information generated through ASUSE supports economic analysis, national accounting and policy formulation. It enables the government to study changes in enterprise activity and provides a statistical foundation for understanding a sector that encompasses businesses with widely differing operational characteristics.

New Questions to Examine Electricity Sources Used by Enterprises

The proposed questionnaire will introduce additional questions about the different sources of electricity used by unincorporated establishments. The Ministry expects this information to provide a more comprehensive picture of energy-use patterns across different categories of enterprises.

Electricity is an important operational requirement for many economic activities, including manufacturing, processing, retail operations and service delivery. However, establishments may use different electricity arrangements depending on their location, type of business and operating requirements.

Collecting more detailed information about electricity sources will help the National Statistics Office examine the energy arrangements under which enterprises operate. It will also allow researchers to compare operating conditions across different economic activities and business categories.

The proposed addition does not itself measure the reliability or affordability of electricity unless those characteristics are separately captured by the questionnaire. Its principal purpose, as identified by the Ministry, is to improve statistical information about the sources of electricity used by establishments.

This additional information could help policymakers better understand differences in enterprise operating environments and support further research into infrastructure requirements across the unincorporated sector.

Survey to Capture Fixed-Asset Investments Over a Longer Period

Another significant revision concerns the collection of information about investment in fixed assets. The Ministry has proposed introducing a question that will examine investment activity over a longer reference period than the existing survey schedule.

Fixed assets are resources acquired for continued use in business operations rather than immediate resale or consumption. Depending on the nature of an enterprise, they may include machinery, equipment, tools and other durable assets used in production or service delivery.

Information about investment in such assets can help researchers understand how businesses expand their productive capabilities and maintain their operations. It may also provide insights into differences in investment activity among establishments operating in different industries and regions.

By extending the reference period, the National Statistics Office intends to capture a broader picture of investment behaviour. A longer observation period may provide additional information about expenditures that occur less frequently and might not be fully reflected in a shorter survey window.

The Ministry expects the revised question to strengthen analysis of investment patterns and business outlook within the unincorporated sector. However, investment figures alone cannot establish an enterprise’s future expansion plans, making the interpretation of such information dependent on the wider survey findings.

Handloom, Power-Loom and Handicraft Enterprises to Receive Greater Statistical Attention

The proposed ASUSE questionnaire will also introduce two questions intended to identify establishments engaged in handloom, power-loom and handicraft activities. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has incorporated these changes following a request from the Ministry of Textiles.

Traditional textile production and handicrafts form an important part of India’s unincorporated economy. These activities combine specialised skills, local production systems and established knowledge traditions, often involving small establishments operating within regional manufacturing networks.

Accurate identification of such enterprises is important for understanding their economic characteristics. Without sufficiently detailed classifications, activities associated with traditional manufacturing may be examined only within broader industrial categories, limiting the ability to analyse their particular circumstances.

The proposed questions will help distinguish establishments engaged in handloom weaving, power-loom production and handicraft activities within the wider survey framework. This will improve the availability of information for examining their operating conditions and economic characteristics.

According to the Ministry, more detailed statistics will help address the information requirements of the Ministry of Textiles and strengthen evidence-based policy discussions concerning these sectors. The approach also demonstrates how ASUSE is being adapted to meet the statistical requirements of different government departments.

ASUSE Survey Period to Shift to April–March Financial Year

The Ministry has proposed changing the ASUSE reporting cycle from January–December to April–March, beginning with the 2027–28 survey. Under the revised arrangement, data collection for ASUSE 2027–28 will take place from April 2027 to March 2028.

The change is intended to align the survey with India’s financial year, which is already used for several important economic and administrative reporting purposes. Other national enterprise surveys, including the Annual Survey of Industries and the Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises, follow financial-year-based reporting arrangements.

Aligning ASUSE with the financial year is expected to improve the usefulness of its information for national accounts and broader economic analysis. It will also make it easier to examine unincorporated-sector data alongside other statistics compiled for the same reporting period.

Differences in reference periods can complicate comparisons between economic datasets, particularly when business conditions change during the year. Greater consistency in survey timing can therefore support the interpretation and integration of information from different official statistical programmes.

The Ministry has identified this alignment as an important step towards improving the policy relevance and analytical usefulness of the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises.

Special Arrangement to Maintain Quarterly Data Continuity

The National Statistics Office has also proposed a transitional arrangement to prevent interruptions in the publication of quarterly statistics when the survey moves to the financial-year calendar.

The existing ASUSE 2026 schedule will continue to be used for data collection during January–March 2027. The revised ASUSE 2027–28 cycle will then begin in April 2027 and continue until March 2028.

This arrangement is intended to preserve continuity in the quarterly statistical series. Maintaining an uninterrupted flow of information is important because policymakers and researchers use quarterly estimates to examine developments in the unincorporated sector over shorter periods.

A disruption in the survey calendar could otherwise create difficulties when comparing economic activity across successive quarters. By retaining the existing schedule during the transition, the Ministry aims to reduce the risk of gaps in the statistical series.

The continued publication of quarterly estimates will also support more timely assessments of changes in enterprise activity, employment and other economic characteristics covered by the survey.

District-Level Estimates to Support More Detailed Economic Analysis

The proposed ASUSE 2027–28 framework will retain improvements introduced during earlier survey rounds, including a revised sampling design that provides for the generation of district-level estimates by participating states.

District-level statistical information can improve understanding of how economic activities differ across geographical areas. Businesses operating in major urban centres may have different characteristics from establishments located in smaller towns or rural regions.

The ability to examine such differences can support more detailed assessments of enterprise distribution, employment characteristics and business activity within participating states. It may also provide a stronger statistical foundation for regional economic analysis.

The Ministry has emphasised that the survey will continue using internationally accepted classification systems and established statistical methods to strengthen the reliability and comparability of the information collected.

Retaining these features while introducing new questions is intended to improve the survey without disrupting its role as a major source of official statistics on India’s unincorporated non-agricultural economy.

Digital Payments and E-Commerce Information to Remain Part of Survey

ASUSE 2027–28 will continue collecting information about digital technology adoption among unincorporated enterprises. The existing questionnaire includes questions concerning participation in online marketplaces and the use of digital payment instruments.

These instruments include Unified Payments Interface services such as UPI and BHIM, mobile wallets and point-of-sale devices. Their inclusion allows the survey to examine how establishments participate in digital commerce and use electronic payment systems.

The continued collection of this information is important because digital technologies have become increasingly relevant to business operations across manufacturing, trade and services. Online platforms and electronic payment systems can influence how enterprises interact with customers, suppliers and other businesses.

The National Statistics Office will also continue using Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing systems for data collection. These systems support the electronic recording of survey responses and form part of the Ministry’s efforts to improve statistical processes.

By retaining digital economy indicators alongside the proposed new questions, ASUSE will provide a wider range of information about the operational characteristics of establishments and their participation in changing economic activities.

Ministry Invites Public Comments Until 15 November 2026

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has placed the proposed ASUSE 2027–28 establishment questionnaire on its official website for stakeholder consultation.

Researchers, policymakers, government departments, data users and other interested stakeholders have been invited to examine the revised schedule and submit their observations. The consultation process forms part of the Ministry’s continuing efforts to improve the relevance of official statistical surveys.

The Ministry has specified 15 November 2026 as the deadline for receiving comments and suggestions. Feedback must be submitted in the prescribed format to the designated National Statistics Office email addresses provided in the official announcement.

The proposed changes follow earlier consultations, Data User Conferences and discussions with stakeholder ministries and expert groups. The Ministry has also considered information requirements identified during the ongoing ASUSE 2026 survey.

The feedback received during the present consultation will help the Ministry evaluate the proposed additions and finalise a questionnaire that responds to emerging requirements for economic statistics.

Building a Stronger Statistical Foundation for Women’s Entrepreneurship

The proposed changes to ASUSE 2027–28 represent an effort to make India’s enterprise statistics more responsive to emerging economic and policy requirements. The introduction of gender-specific questions is particularly significant because it will enable the National Statistics Office to examine challenges faced by women entrepreneurs as a distinct area of statistical investigation.

At the same time, the additional information on electricity sources, fixed-asset investments and traditional manufacturing activities will broaden understanding of the operating conditions of unincorporated enterprises. The proposed shift to financial-year reporting will further improve the integration of ASUSE information with other national economic statistics.

The Ministry’s approach recognises that effective economic policymaking requires reliable information about the diverse circumstances under which small businesses operate. More detailed data can help researchers identify differences among enterprises and provide a stronger basis for evaluating their requirements.

As the consultation process progresses towards its November deadline, the National Statistics Office will have an opportunity to refine the questionnaire before the proposed April 2027 implementation. The resulting survey framework is expected to strengthen India’s capacity to examine entrepreneurship, investment and economic activity across its extensive unincorporated business sector.

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References

1. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India — 26 October 2026

ASUSE 2027–28 to Align with the Financial Year (April–March): New Policy-Focused Questions to Address Emerging Data Needs.

Press Information Bureau, Release ID: 2328476.

Official announcement covering gender-specific constraints faced by women entrepreneurs, proposed electricity-use questions, fixed-asset investment data, handloom and handicraft identification, financial-year alignment and stakeholder consultation.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2328476&lang=1&reg=3

2. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation — Official Website

Draft ASUSE 2027–28 establishment questionnaire and prescribed stakeholder feedback format.

https://www.mospi.gov.in

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