The Indian government has established a high-powered expert committee to address issues related to informal sector employment, moonlighting, seasonal migration, and gig and platform work, with the goal of strengthening labour market data.
Committee Composition and Mandate
The 22-member panel, constituted on June 9, is chaired by Institute for Human Development (IHD) professor Alakh Sharma. Its responsibilities include reviewing existing labour market indicators and their publication timelines.
According to the terms of reference, the committee will examine concepts, definitions, classifications, sampling, and measurement frameworks used in labour statistics, particularly in the context of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
Review of Classification Frameworks
The committee will also review current classification frameworks in labour statistics, covering industry, occupation, employment status, and enterprise characteristics. The panel has a two-year term and includes representatives from Niti Aayog, the labour ministry, the skill ministry, and the education ministry.
Demand-Side Indicators
Additionally, the committee will examine issues related to developing demand-side labour market indicators in India, such as measuring labour demand, job vacancies, labour turnover, occupational demand, skill requirements, and job-skill mismatches.
The committee may also explore the use of administrative and alternative data sources, including the National Career Service (NCS), MCA databases, job portals, enterprise/HR administrative datasets, and other digital labour market information systems to generate high-frequency demand-side indicators.
International Definitions and Adaptations
The panel will assess the implications of international definitions related to forms of work, informal employment, own-use production work, and unpaid trainee work, and suggest suitable adaptations for the Indian context, aligning with recommendations from the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians.
