UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — LFPR continued at nearly the same level

Q1. When it was launched in 2017, the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) became India's first official labour survey to provide which one of the following on a regular basis?

  • A. Annual all-India (rural + urban) and quarterly urban labour-force estimates
  • B. Monthly all-India labour-force estimates for both rural and urban areas
  • C. Five-yearly (quinquennial) employment-unemployment estimates
  • D. Decadal census-based estimates of the workforce

Q2. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is conducted by which one of the following agencies?

  • A. National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • B. Labour Bureau under the Ministry of Labour and Employment
  • C. NITI Aayog
  • D. Reserve Bank of India

Q3. With reference to the revamped PLFS sampling design effective from January 2025, consider the following: 1. A monthly rotational panel under which each selected household is visited four times in four consecutive months. 2. Shift of the survey calendar from a July–June cycle to a January–December cycle. 3. Introduction of monthly all-India LFPR/WPR/UR estimates in the Current Weekly Status. 4. Discontinuation of the annual Usual Status (ps+ss) employment estimates. Which of the above is/are correctly identified as a feature of the revamped design?

  1. A monthly rotational panel under which each selected household is visited four times in four consecutive months.
  2. Shift of the survey calendar from a July–June cycle to a January–December cycle.
  3. Introduction of monthly all-India LFPR/WPR/UR estimates in the Current Weekly Status.
  4. Discontinuation of the annual Usual Status (ps+ss) employment estimates.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q4. The PLFS Monthly Bulletins introduced under the revamped design are released under which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • B. Ministry of Labour and Employment
  • C. Ministry of Finance
  • D. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Q5. In the PLFS monthly bulletins, the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) is precisely defined as which one of the following?

  • A. The percentage of employed persons in the population
  • B. The percentage of employed persons in the labour force
  • C. The percentage of persons in the labour force in the population
  • D. The percentage of unemployed persons in the labour force

Q6. The January 2026 all-India estimate that the overall LFPR (age 15+) stood at 55.9% is based on field data collected by which one of the following wings within the NSO?

  • A. National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)
  • B. Central Statistics Office (CSO)
  • C. Labour Bureau
  • D. Office of the Registrar General of India

Q7. With reference to the institutional structure of India's statistical system, consider the following statements: 1. MoSPI came into existence as an independent Ministry in 1999 through the merger of the erstwhile Department of Statistics and Department of Programme Implementation. 2. The National Statistical Office (NSO) comprises the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). 3. The National Statistical Commission (NSC) is a statutory body established under a specific Act of Parliament. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. MoSPI came into existence as an independent Ministry in 1999 through the merger of the erstwhile Department of Statistics and Department of Programme Implementation.
  2. The National Statistical Office (NSO) comprises the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
  3. The National Statistical Commission (NSC) is a statutory body established under a specific Act of Parliament.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. Within the National Statistical Office, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is best described by which one of the following?

  • A. The office responsible for coordinating statistical activities, maintaining statistical standards and compiling national accounts (GDP)
  • B. The office responsible for conducting large-scale socio-economic sample surveys and field operations
  • C. The office responsible for monitoring MPLADS and infrastructure projects under the Programme Implementation Wing
  • D. The office responsible for the decennial Census and civil registration of vital statistics

Q9. With reference to the transition from the NSSO's Employment-Unemployment Surveys (EUS) to the PLFS, consider the following statements: 1. The last quinquennial NSSO Employment-Unemployment Survey was conducted during 2011-12 (68th round). 2. The PLFS was launched in 2017 on the recommendation of a task force headed by Arvind Panagariya. 3. The quinquennial EUS provided annual estimates, whereas the PLFS provides estimates only once every five years. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The last quinquennial NSSO Employment-Unemployment Survey was conducted during 2011-12 (68th round).
  2. The PLFS was launched in 2017 on the recommendation of a task force headed by Arvind Panagariya.
  3. The quinquennial EUS provided annual estimates, whereas the PLFS provides estimates only once every five years.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. In the quinquennial format that began with the 27th NSS round (1972-73), exactly how many quinquennial Employment-Unemployment Surveys were conducted by the NSSO before the PLFS replaced the system?

  • A. Eight
  • B. Five
  • C. Seven
  • D. Eleven

Q11. As per the PLFS monthly bulletins for 2025-26, female Labour Force Participation Rate (age 15+) has consistently been the highest among women in which one of the following?

  • A. Rural areas
  • B. Urban areas
  • C. Metropolitan cities
  • D. Million-plus cities

Q12. With reference to the reference-period concepts used in the PLFS, consider the following statements: 1. Under Current Weekly Status (CWS), a person's activity status is determined with a reference period of the last 7 days. 2. Under Usual Status, the reference period is the preceding 365 days. 3. Under Current Daily Status (CDS), activity status is assessed for each day of the reference week. 4. The all-India PLFS monthly bulletins use the Usual Status approach. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Under Current Weekly Status (CWS), a person's activity status is determined with a reference period of the last 7 days.
  2. Under Usual Status, the reference period is the preceding 365 days.
  3. Under Current Daily Status (CDS), activity status is assessed for each day of the reference week.
  4. The all-India PLFS monthly bulletins use the Usual Status approach.
  • A. 1 and 4
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 1, 2 and 4