India to launch first nationwide adult skills survey in 2026

MoSPI to launch adult skill survey

• India to launch Adult Skills Survey in 2026 to assess workforce competencies
• Survey aims to align skilling policy with actual workforce capabilities
• Part of broader 2026 data push in health, tourism, and economic surveys

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India is preparing to take a comprehensive stocktake of its adult workforce for the first time in more than a decade, with the government planning to launch an Adult Skills Survey in 2026 to assess competencies among citizens aged 18 and above, officials told Moneycontrol.

The survey is expected to map skill levels across categories such as basic, intermediate and advanced, providing policymakers with a clearer picture of employability and workforce preparedness.

“An adult skilling survey will be done to give a fair idea about the situation on the ground,” one official familiar with the plan said. Another official added that discussions are still underway on the survey’s design—whether it should be conducted over an entire year or in shorter quarterly rounds—but its core objective is already defined: to align skilling policy with actual workforce capabilities rather than assumed demand.

Shift from supply-driven planning

The initiative marks a departure from India’s largely supply-driven approach to skills planning, where training targets are often set without robust, up-to-date data on existing skill levels. Officials said the proposal originated within the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, which has been pushing for a more evidence-based framework.

At present, India relies on fragmented indicators—such as the CAMS study conducted in 2022–23 and time use survey 2024—to infer skill availability. However, a comprehensive, nationwide adult skills assessment has not been carried out in over a decade.

Responding to audit red flags

The new survey may also address long-standing concerns flagged by oversight bodies. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India in its recent report highlighted shortcomings in major government skilling programmes, pointing to execution inefficiencies, weak placement outcomes and poor monitoring—particularly under flagship schemes such as PMKVY.

These findings have underscored a fundamental problem: the gap between the skills being imparted and the skills actually demanded by the economy.

Part of a broader data reset

The survey will be one element of a wider data-driven push scheduled for 2026. The government is also planning fresh surveys on health, tourism and travel, alongside exercises focused on household income, investment and debt, and a situational assessment of agricultural households.

The year will also see major statistical revisions. CPI inflation data is set to be rebased on February 12, 2026, followed by the release of the new GDP series on February 27, and a revised Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in May.