The National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, in collaboration with the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram, organised the Data User’s Conference on the Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024 on 22nd September, 2025, at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

The conference witnessed active participation from comprising researchers, economists, policymakers, representatives from esteemed institutions from academia and the media, with around 175 delegates in attendance. This conference aimed to enhance MoSPI’s interaction and engagement with data users and stakeholders, fostering valuable feedback and collaboration.

The inaugural session was honoured with the presence of distinguished dignitaries who has enriched the further proceedings. Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI, emphasized the Ministry’s core vision of ‘Data for Development’ and highlighted the importance of data driven decision making emphasising the activities undertaken by MoSPI towards making a Viksit Bharat by 2047 by enhancing the granularity, frequency and timeliness of the data being produced. He mentioned that measuring quality of life and wellbeing are also important factors to measure a country's progress along with GDP. The TUS is an important survey which provides such information about gender disparities, care economy etc. He emphasised that these regular Data Users’ Conferences, organised in collaboration with institutions, reflect our continued commitment to strengthening partnerships with the research community.

Chief Guest, Shri K. M. Chandrasekhar, Former Cabinet Secretary, delivered the Special Address emphasising the importance of collecting data for measuring not only economic indicators such as GDP, but also to measure social development, human development etc. He emphasized the importance in tracking the change in time use with changes in level of development. He appreciated MoSPI for its recent achievements towards timeliness and relevance of data. He emphasised that the valuable data emerging from this important survey calls for deeper analysis by policymakers in the states as well as by the research institutions, so that it may be effectively harnessed for advancing the well-being of our nation.

In his address, Prof. Veeramani, Director, CDS highlighted the importance of TUS in providing information about the economy, especially the unpaid work that remains hidden from the economy. He acknowledged with great appreciation the trust reposed in the institution for this collaboration and expressed the institution’s commitment to continued cooperation in the times ahead.

In the keynote address Dr. Indira Hirway, Former Director, Centre for Development Alternatives expressed satisfaction over MoSPI institutionalising TUS as part of NSS surveys. She highlighted the challenges related to the quality of Time Use Survey (TUS) data and advocated for the adoption of updated international guidelines and standards provided by leading global organizations. She further emphasized the critical role of TUS data in integrating unpaid work into macroeconomic indicators, thereby enhancing the accuracy and inclusivity of national economic assessments.

Following the inaugural session, technical sessions focused on various aspects of TUS were organised. The conference featured two insightful technical sessions on explaining the design of the survey, key findings and comparison with previous Time Use Surveys, and Utility of TUS Data and highlighting the strategic applications and policy relevance of TUS data, with contributions from eminent academics and researchers.

A panel discussion on ‘Changing Patterns of Time Use, Care Work and Gender in a New Digital Era’, was moderated by Shri Ajay Baksi, ADG (HSD), and featured Dr. Sunny Jose (SRM University), Prof. Neetha V. (CWDS), Smt. Deepti Sharma, Assistant Professor, (Ahmedabad University), and Prof. Thiagu Ranganathan (CDS). The panel discussion generated engaging dialogue on the practical applications TUS data from estimating aspects of economy particularly accounting unpaid work and aspects that required improvements for future. The following suggestions emerged from the panel discussion:

• TUS may collect information on household members’ digital access, distinguishing between shared and exclusive use, to assess its impact on individual time-use patterns.
• Women’s passive or supervisory care needs to be captured in Time Use Survey(TUS)
• While government schemes increasingly recognize women’s unpaid caregiving,  provision may be made in TUS schedule to capture whether women are doing these unpaid work out of preference or under any obligation

 

        

An interactive open discussion and Q&A session provided a collaborative platform for participants to exchange insights and address queries. The conference provided a platform for meaningful discussions, Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities among stakeholders, fostering a collaborative approach to utilizing TUS data for India’s economic development.

The conference reaffirmed the collective commitment of MoSPI, CDS, and data users to uphold and advance the quality, integrity, and usability of official statistics in India. It concluded with a call to further deepen cooperation, embrace technological advancements, and ensure data remains at the heart of evidence-based policymaking.

Any suggestions/queries/clarification with respect to NSS surveys may kindly be forwarded at nssocpd.coord@mospi.gov.in. For more details on the survey reports and upcoming statistical releases, please visit the official MoSPI website: www.mospi.gov.in.

****

Samrat/Allen

(Release ID: 2169833) Visitor Counter : 70