UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — National Household Income Survey (NHIS) and Annual Survey of Incorporated Service Sector Enterprises (ASISSE) on 28th and 29th January 2026 at Chennai

Q1. The National Household Income Survey (NHIS) 2026 and the Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE) are being conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), which functions under which one of the following Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Finance
  • B. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • C. Ministry of Corporate Affairs
  • D. Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q2. With reference to the National Household Income Survey (NHIS) 2026, consider the following features: 1. It is administered in Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) mode. 2. It covers the whole of the Indian Union except certain inaccessible villages of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 3. Its schedule was designed on the recommendation of a Technical Expert Group. 4. It uses the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) dataset as its sampling frame. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. It is administered in Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) mode.
  2. It covers the whole of the Indian Union except certain inaccessible villages of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  3. Its schedule was designed on the recommendation of a Technical Expert Group.
  4. It uses the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) dataset as its sampling frame.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q3. Consider the following statements comparing the NHIS 2026 with India's earlier approach to measuring household income: 1. The NHIS is India's first dedicated pan-India survey to directly measure household income. 2. Before the NHIS, official estimates of household income were largely inferred from NSS Consumption Expenditure Surveys and tax data. 3. The NHIS replaces the Consumption Expenditure Survey in the NSS survey calendar. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The NHIS is India's first dedicated pan-India survey to directly measure household income.
  2. Before the NHIS, official estimates of household income were largely inferred from NSS Consumption Expenditure Surveys and tax data.
  3. The NHIS replaces the Consumption Expenditure Survey in the NSS survey calendar.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. The Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE) covers corporate service-sector entities registered under which one of the following legal frameworks?

  • A. The Companies Act, 1956/2013 or the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008
  • B. The Indian Partnership Act, 1932
  • C. The Societies Registration Act, 1860
  • D. The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006

Q5. With reference to the launch timeline of the NHIS and ASISSE, consider the following statements: 1. Pre-testing of the NHIS draft schedule was conducted in August 2025. 2. The main fieldwork for both surveys is scheduled to begin in April 2026. 3. Each survey has a fieldwork period of one year, running up to March 2027. 4. Field enumeration for both surveys commenced in January 2026. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Pre-testing of the NHIS draft schedule was conducted in August 2025.
  2. The main fieldwork for both surveys is scheduled to begin in April 2026.
  3. Each survey has a fieldwork period of one year, running up to March 2027.
  4. Field enumeration for both surveys commenced in January 2026.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q6. The one-year fieldwork period of the NHIS 2026 and ASISSE spans which one of the following?

  • A. April 2026 to March 2027
  • B. April 2026 to March 2028
  • C. January 2026 to December 2026
  • D. October 2025 to September 2026

Q7. The All-India Workshop of Trainers (AIWOT) held at Chennai on 28-29 January 2026 for the NHIS and ASISSE was conducted by which wing of the National Statistics Office?

  • A. Field Operations Division (FOD)
  • B. Social Statistics Division (SSD)
  • C. National Accounts Division (NAD)
  • D. Economic Statistics Division (ESD)

Q8. Consider the following statements about the January 2026 Chennai AIWOT relative to the surveys' actual fieldwork: 1. The workshop preceded the field enumeration, which is scheduled to begin in April 2026. 2. Participants trained at the workshop are expected to conduct further zonal- and regional-level trainings for field enumerators and supervisors. 3. The workshop imparted only manual, paper-based training, since digital (CAPI) methods were to be introduced only later during fieldwork. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The workshop preceded the field enumeration, which is scheduled to begin in April 2026.
  2. Participants trained at the workshop are expected to conduct further zonal- and regional-level trainings for field enumerators and supervisors.
  3. The workshop imparted only manual, paper-based training, since digital (CAPI) methods were to be introduced only later during fieldwork.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. The services-sector Gross Value Added (GVA) data generated by ASISSE will feed into India's official National Accounts. Which one of the following bodies is responsible for compiling India's official National Accounts (GDP/GVA) estimates?

  • A. National Statistics Office (NSO), MoSPI
  • B. Reserve Bank of India
  • C. NITI Aayog
  • D. Comptroller and Auditor General of India

Q10. Consider the following potential contributions of the NHIS and ASISSE to India's economic measurement: 1. Enabling direct estimation of income inequality (e.g. the Gini coefficient) instead of relying on consumption proxies. 2. Strengthening the estimation of services-sector Gross Value Added in the National Accounts. 3. Serving as the sampling frame for India's decennial Population Census. 4. Improving assessment of the tax base and the targeting of socio-economic groups. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Enabling direct estimation of income inequality (e.g. the Gini coefficient) instead of relying on consumption proxies.
  2. Strengthening the estimation of services-sector Gross Value Added in the National Accounts.
  3. Serving as the sampling frame for India's decennial Population Census.
  4. Improving assessment of the tax base and the targeting of socio-economic groups.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 4