Quick Employment Survey
The Quick Employment Survey (QES) is a short-term, high-frequency survey conducted by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, to assess employment and job trends across selected sectors of the Indian economy. It provides rapid and reliable data on changes in employment levels, helping policymakers evaluate the impact of economic conditions, government initiatives, and industrial dynamics on job creation. The survey forms a crucial part of India’s official labour market monitoring framework and supplements long-term employment data provided by periodic labour force surveys.
Background and Introduction
The Quick Employment Survey was first initiated in 2010 by the Labour Bureau, an attached office of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The survey was designed to capture short-term employment changes in select labour-intensive industries, especially during and after major economic or policy shifts.
Initially, the QES focused on assessing employment in eight key sectors that were significantly affected by the global economic crisis of 2008–09. Over time, its scope has been expanded and refined to capture a broader picture of formal employment in India’s organised sector.
In 2021, the Ministry launched a revamped version of the QES under the All India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey (AQEES) framework, to generate more comprehensive and timely estimates of employment trends in formal enterprises.
Objectives of the Survey
The primary objectives of the Quick Employment Survey include:
- Measuring quarterly changes in employment and vacancies across organised sectors.
- Analysing employment trends by gender, skill level, and nature of employment (regular, contractual, or casual).
- Assessing the impact of economic reforms, policy interventions, and crises (such as COVID-19) on labour demand.
- Providing quick indicators to assist policymakers in formulating employment-oriented economic policies.
- Supplementing long-term employment statistics with short-term, high-frequency data.
By offering timely insights, the QES bridges the gap between annual employment statistics and the fast-changing realities of India’s dynamic labour market.
Coverage and Scope
The latest phase of the Quick Employment Survey, under AQEES, covers nine major non-farm sectors that account for the bulk of organised employment in India. These include:
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Trade
- Transport
- Education
- Health
- Accommodation and Restaurants
- Information Technology (IT) / Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
- Financial Services
The survey targets establishments with 10 or more workers, representing the organised segment of the economy. Data are collected from thousands of establishments across India to provide nationally representative estimates.
Methodology and Data Collection
The QES employs a scientific sampling method and uses both primary and secondary data sources to ensure accuracy and representativeness. The key methodological features include:
- Sampling Frame: Establishments are selected based on information from official databases such as the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), and National Industrial Classification (NIC).
- Frequency: Conducted quarterly to track short-term employment changes.
- Data Collection: Establishments are surveyed using structured questionnaires capturing employment, wages, vacancies, and workforce composition.
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Indicators Captured:
- Total employment and quarterly change;
- Type of employment (regular, fixed-term, or casual);
- Gender and skill composition;
- Establishment size and ownership pattern;
- Wage levels and social security coverage.
The Labour Bureau compiles, verifies, and analyses the data before releasing official reports to the public and policymakers.
Major Findings and Trends
The QES reports have highlighted several key patterns in India’s employment landscape:
- Growth in Organised Employment: Employment in establishments with 10 or more workers has shown a consistent upward trend post-2021, reflecting economic recovery and expansion in the service and manufacturing sectors.
- Sectoral Distribution: The manufacturing sector remains the largest contributor to organised employment, followed by education, health, and IT/BPO services.
- Gender Composition: Female participation has shown gradual improvement, particularly in health and education sectors.
- Rise of Contractual Employment: There has been an increase in contractual and fixed-term employment, particularly in manufacturing and construction, indicating flexible hiring practices.
- Impact of COVID-19: The QES conducted in 2021–22 indicated significant recovery in employment levels following the pandemic-induced decline in 2020, particularly in IT and healthcare sectors.
- Wage and Social Security Trends: An increasing number of workers are now covered under formal social security schemes such as EPFO and ESIC, signalling gradual formalisation of the workforce.
Importance for Policy and Planning
The Quick Employment Survey plays a pivotal role in India’s labour market analysis by:
- Providing timely inputs for employment policy decisions and labour market reforms.
- Assisting in the monitoring of flagship programmes like Make in India, Digital India, and Skill India.
- Helping the government track the impact of macroeconomic policies, industrial incentives, and crises (e.g., pandemic or inflationary pressures) on employment generation.
- Guiding budgetary allocations and welfare measures related to labour, social security, and industrial development.
Policymakers use QES findings to design and adjust employment-support measures, enhance job creation strategies, and ensure inclusive labour market growth.
Challenges and Limitations
Despite its significance, the QES faces certain limitations:
- Limited Coverage: It focuses primarily on the organised sector, which represents a small portion of India’s total workforce, leaving informal employment largely unassessed.
- Response Accuracy: Data reliability depends on the accuracy of information provided by establishments.
- Sectoral Narrowness: Some emerging sectors such as e-commerce, gig economy, and renewable energy are not comprehensively covered yet.
- Lag in Data Publication: Although designed for rapid reporting, administrative and verification delays sometimes affect timeliness.
Efforts are ongoing to refine the methodology, expand coverage, and improve data integration with other employment databases for better labour market intelligence.
Integration with Other Labour Surveys
The QES complements other major employment surveys such as:
- Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): Conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO), it provides annual and quarterly estimates of labour participation, unemployment, and informal employment.
- Economic Census: Provides a comprehensive enumeration of establishments across sectors.
- EPFO and ESIC Data: Offer administrative insights into formal sector job growth and enrolment trends.
By combining insights from QES and these surveys, policymakers gain a holistic understanding of India’s employment dynamics.
Future Prospects and Developments
The government plans to enhance the QES framework through:
- Digital Data Collection: Using online platforms and mobile-based systems for faster and more accurate data gathering.
- Wider Sectoral Coverage: Including new-age industries such as e-commerce, logistics, renewable energy, and gig platforms.
- Improved Analytics: Leveraging big data and artificial intelligence for real-time employment monitoring.
- Regional and Skill-Based Analysis: Providing detailed insights into regional disparities and skill-level employment trends.
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