Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)
Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Important Reports, Indices and Surveys · Topic 18.2
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is the official household survey on employment and unemployment in India, conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). It began in April 2017 to replace the five-yearly employment-unemployment surveys. From 2025 it gives monthly and quarterly bulletins and an annual report on a calendar-year cycle. The PLFS Annual Report 2025, released in March 2026, put the usual-status unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above at about 3.1 per cent and the labour force participation rate at about 59.3 per cent, as reported.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Important Reports, Indices and Surveys
At a Glance
- Conducted by NSO, MoSPI
- Started April 2017
- Key indicators LFPR, WPR, unemployment rate
- Approaches Usual status and current weekly status
- Latest annual PLFS Annual Report 2025, March 2026
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Important Reports, Indices and Surveys
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows the Economic Survey, which cites PLFS data on jobs. It also underlies the State of Working India Report and debates on youth and graduate unemployment. Previous topic: Economic Survey of India (Annual). Next topic: National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
What Does the PLFS Measure?
| Indicator | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) | Percentage of persons in the labour force, meaning working or seeking work, in the population |
| Worker Population Ratio (WPR) | Percentage of employed persons in the population |
| Unemployment Rate (UR) | Percentage of unemployed persons in the labour force |
| Usual status | Activity status over the 365 days before the survey, counting principal and subsidiary status. It captures long-run engagement |
| Current Weekly Status (CWS) | Activity in the seven days before the survey. It captures short-run changes and is used for monthly bulletins |
| Employment type | Self-employed, regular wage or salaried, and casual labour, with a share of each reported |
What Do the Latest PLFS Results Show?
- Annual Report 2025: The first annual report on the calendar-year cycle covered January to December 2025 and was released by MoSPI in March 2026, as reported
- Unemployment rate: For persons aged 15 and above the rate was about 3.1 per cent in 2025, with rural about 2.4 per cent and urban about 4.8 per cent, as reported
- Participation: LFPR was about 59.3 per cent and WPR about 57.4 per cent for persons aged 15 and above, as reported
- Youth: Unemployment among persons aged 15 to 29 was about 9.9 per cent in 2025 compared with 10.3 per cent in 2024, as reported
- Monthly bulletin: The June 2026 bulletin put the CWS unemployment rate at about 5.5 per cent and LFPR at about 54.4 per cent for those aged 15 and above, as reported
- Earlier benchmark: PLFS 2023-24, for July to June, gave a usual-status unemployment rate of about 3.2 per cent for persons aged 15 and above
- Reading the gap: The annual usual-status rate is lower than the weekly rate in monthly bulletins because the usual status counts many part-year workers as employed
- Caution: Figures are reported from official releases and summaries, and readers should check the MoSPI report for exact values
What Else Should You Remember?
- Name: The full name is the Periodic Labour Force Survey, and it is often written as PLFS in news reports
- Rural and urban coverage: Before 2025 the quarterly bulletins covered only urban areas, and the annual report covered both rural and urban areas for a July to June year
- Changes in 2025: From January 2025 PLFS expanded its sample, began monthly estimates for all India, and quarterly estimates for rural and urban areas
- Sample: A rotational panel design is used in urban areas and a larger sample is surveyed in rural areas, with a panel of households visited repeatedly
- Age group: Headline numbers are given for persons aged 15 and above, with separate numbers for 15 to 29 for youth
- Gender: Female LFPR has risen in recent years, mainly through self-employment and unpaid work in rural areas, as reported
- Link to missions: Employment schemes relate to these figures, as in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
- Link to the State of Working India: The Azim Premji University report uses PLFS data for its youth analysis, as in State of Working India Report
- Unemployment types: Frictional, structural, cyclical, seasonal and disguised unemployment appear in questions, and PLFS measures open unemployment
- Earlier surveys: NSSO surveys on employment and unemployment ran at five-year intervals, such as the 2011-12 round, and the Employment and Unemployment Survey of 2015-16 was a Labour Bureau survey
- Common mistakes: Comparing CWS monthly rates with usual-status annual rates as if they were the same measure
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Publisher: NSO under MoSPI
- Definitions: Usual status, CWS, LFPR, WPR and UR
- Latest figures: 3.1 per cent usual-status unemployment in 2025 and 5.5 per cent CWS in June 2026, as reported
- Start year: April 2017
- Common errors: Saying the Labour Bureau runs PLFS or mixing the definitions of LFPR and WPR
As an analytical point, headline unemployment in India looks low because most people cannot afford to be without work, so quality of jobs, underemployment and earnings need equal attention. PLFS data on regular wage jobs and informality should be read together with the unemployment rate.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Definitions Asked as one-liners
- Data Latest rate in the news
- Jobs Core GS Paper 3 theme
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the National Family Health Survey. Next topic: National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
Key People and Terms
- LFPR Labour force participation rate
- WPR Worker population ratio
- UR Unemployment rate
- CWS Current weekly status
- NSO National Statistical Office
- MoSPI Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Run by NSO, MoSPI, from April 2017.
- Usual status: 365 days; CWS: 7 days.
- 2025 annual: UR about 3.1 per cent.
- LFPR about 59.3 per cent.
- Monthly bulletins use CWS.
Do Not Confuse With
- LFPR and WPR Labour force share versus employed share
- Usual status and CWS Year reference versus week reference
- PLFS and Labour Bureau survey NSO household survey versus Labour Bureau survey
Memory Hook
Usual is a year, weekly is a week; LFPR counts seekers, WPR counts workers.
Mains Angle
Mains questions ask about the quality of employment. These points give a balanced frame.
- Data Low unemployment, weak job quality
- Youth Graduate unemployment
- Way Skills and formal jobs
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Why does India show low headline unemployment despite concerns over jobs? Use PLFS indicators in your answer.”
How to Answer
- Data PLFS rates.
- Reason Self-employment, underemployment.
- Gap Youth and graduates.
- Way Quality jobs.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Periodic Labour Force Survey?
The Periodic Labour Force Survey is India official household survey on employment and unemployment, run by the National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation since April 2017. It reports labour force participation, worker population ratio and unemployment rate in usual status and current weekly status.
Who conducts the PLFS?
The National Statistical Office, which functions under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, conducts and publishes the PLFS. The Labour Bureau under the Ministry of Labour and Employment runs a different set of surveys, so the two should not be confused in answers.
What is India unemployment rate in the latest PLFS?
The PLFS Annual Report 2025, released in March 2026, reported a usual-status unemployment rate of about 3.1 per cent for persons aged 15 and above, as reported. The monthly bulletin for June 2026 gave a current weekly status rate of about 5.5 per cent. The two use different reference periods.
What is the difference between usual status and current weekly status?
Usual status looks at what a person did over the previous 365 days, counting principal and subsidiary activity, while current weekly status looks at the previous seven days. Usual status unemployment is lower because part-year workers count as employed, and weekly status is used in the monthly bulletins.
What changed in the PLFS in 2025?
From January 2025 the PLFS moved to a calendar-year cycle, expanded its sample and began releasing monthly all-India estimates and quarterly rural and urban estimates. The first annual report on the new cycle covered January to December 2025 and was released in March 2026, as reported.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The PLFS is conducted by the Labour Bureau.
It is conducted by the NSO under MoSPI.
2 PLFS began in April 2017.
It replaced five-yearly surveys.
3 Usual status refers to activity over the last seven days.
That is current weekly status. Usual status covers 365 days.
4 Worker population ratio is the share of employed persons in the population.
LFPR also counts job seekers.
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