The Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS), conducted as part of the 79th round of the NSS gathered data on key indicators such as education, out-of-pocket medical expenses, internet and mobile usage, financial inclusion, ICT skills, and asset ownership. This is a follow-up of the similar survey similar survey titled the ‘Multiple Indicator Survey’ during the 78th round.
The Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS), conducted as part of the 79th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS), took place between July 2022 and June 2023. Its primary goal was to gather data on key indicators such as education, out-of-pocket medical expenses, internet and mobile usage, financial inclusion, ICT skills, and asset ownership. The survey also explored areas like drinking water access, sanitation, energy usage, birth registration, and transportation facilities. Covering most of India except for a few remote villages in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the survey included 3,02,086 households (1,73,096 rural and 1,28,990 urban) and enumerated 12,99,988 individuals (7,85,246 in rural areas and 5,14,742 in urban areas).
During the 78th round, a similar survey titled the ‘Multiple Indicator Survey’ was conducted between January and August 2021, having been extended from its original December 2020 timeline due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, we explore the key insights across different socio-economic variables from the latest survey and draw comparisons with the findings of its predecessor.
Find all the data from the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) on Dataful here.
One in Four Indian Youth between 15-29 years are out of Education, Jobs, and Training
It is projected that one in every five working-age people globally will be Indian, showcasing the immense potential of the country’s demographic dividend. Experts predict that India could emerge as the next global growth engine and the world’s largest supplier of human resources. However, this potential is contingent upon providing young people with access to education and employment. Without these, the demographic dividend could turn into a demographic burden.
Data from the 79th Round of the NSS Survey reveals that around 25% of Indian youth aged 15-29 are neither in education, employment, nor training. This marks an improvement from the 33% recorded in the 78th Round. At a state level, Tamil Nadu stands out with the most significant improvement, reducing its youth disengaged from education and work by about 16 percentage points. It is followed by Kerala (14 percentage points) and Telangana (13.7 percentage points). Uttar Pradesh, however, saw the smallest improvement, with only a 2.6 percentage point reduction, trailing behind Chhattisgarh at 3.8 percentage points. Jharkhand, on the other hand, is the only state to witness a marginal increase in the percentage of youth disengaged from education, employment, and training, rising from 28.2% to 28.5% between the 78th and 79th rounds.
Proportion of people with indebtedness increases from 78th to 79th round
Indebtedness has become a pervasive reality across different demographics, encompassing farmers, students, and business owners alike. With the growing formalization of the economy and improved access to formal financial institutions, debt (loans) has increasingly become a vital tool for households to manage their financial cycles.
The surveys define a household member as indebted if they had taken a cash loan of Rs. 500 or more, with an outstanding balance on the date of the survey. Institutional lenders included government agencies, co-operative societies, co-operative and commercial banks (including regional rural banks), insurance companies, provident fund authorities, and private financial institutions. Loans from relatives, friends, and other non-institutional sources were categorized as non-institutional debt.
The data highlights a notable rise in indebtedness among the adult population. The number of borrowers per lakh population (aged 18 years and above) increased from 15,809 in the 78th Round to 18,322 in the 79th Round, marking an overall increase of 2,513 borrowers per lakh. Among the large states, Andhra Pradesh recorded the sharpest rise, with borrowers increasing from 46,330 per lakh in the 78th Round to 60,092 in the 79th Round—a difference of 13,762. Karnataka followed with an increase of 10,857 borrowers per lakh, and Odisha with a rise of 5,549.
Conversely, states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh witnessed a decline in the proportion of borrowers per lakh population during the same period. Bihar experienced the steepest drop, reflecting a significant contrast in borrowing trends across states.
Half of Rural India still doesn’t use clean fuel for cooking
Clean cooking encompasses the use of low-to-zero emission methods for preparing food. A household is categorised as using clean fuel for cooking, if the household reported the use of any one of the primary sources, viz.
- LPG/ other natural gas
- Gobar gas/other biogas
- Electricity (incl. generated by solar /wind power generators)
- Solar cooker for cooking.
Beyond enhancing health by minimizing household air pollution, access to clean cooking elevates the quality of life. It also empowers women, particularly in developing nations, by freeing up time spent on traditional cooking practices, enabling them to explore economic and educational opportunities.
Data from the 78th and 79th NSS Rounds highlights that 63% of households in India use clean cooking fuel, but this figure masks a stark rural-urban divide. While 93% of urban households reported using clean fuel, the share in rural areas was significantly lower at just 49.3%. Notably, rural usage even dipped slightly from 49.8% in the 78th Round to 49.3% in the 79th, whereas urban households saw an increase from 92% to 92.9%.
Several states, including West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, reported that less than half of households across both rural and urban regions relied on clean cooking fuel.
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), launched in 2016, aimed to tackle this issue by providing rural and underprivileged households with access to safer cooking alternatives. The scheme offered a one-time financial support of Rs. 1,600 for LPG connections to below-poverty-line families. Under its 2021 edition, Ujjwala 2.0, beneficiaries were also provided with a free stove and an initial LPG refill. Additionally, since 2022, the government has been offering a targeted subsidy of Rs. 200 per cylinder for up to 12 cylinders annually to reduce recurring costs.
There is a notable discrepancy between the NSS data and the PMUY statistics. While PMUY claims to have significantly boosted LPG coverage in India, increasing it from 62% in April 2016 to near saturation, the NSS data presents a different picture regarding actual LPG usage. This suggests that despite broader access to LPG connections, challenges related to affordability and regular usage of clean fuel persist, particularly in rural areas. Factly’s previous story on this issue can be read here.
Access to all-weather roads within 2km in rural areas shows a marginal improvement
India, with its predominantly agrarian economy and nearly six lakh villages, remains intrinsically tied to its rural heartland. Yet, many of these villages continue to grapple with limited connectivity to the wider world. In a country like India, where rural development is crucial to national progress, investing in rural road infrastructure plays a pivotal role in alleviating poverty and driving growth. Recognizing this, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), launched in 2001, has been instrumental in constructing and upgrading all-weather roads to link previously unconnected habitations.
Data from the 79th Round of the NSS reveals a slight improvement in rural connectivity at the national level, with the proportion of rural households having access to all-weather roads within 2 km of their residence rising from 92.5% to 94.2%. Gujarat leads the states in progress, with a 9.3 percentage point improvement, followed by Karnataka (8 percentage points) and Chhattisgarh (7.2 percentage points). Odisha and Telangana also made notable gains of 5.6 and 5.2 percentage points, respectively.
In contrast, Bihar and Maharashtra showed a decline in connectivity, with Bihar’s percentage dropping by 1.5 points and Maharashtra’s by 2.7 points, highlighting disparities in rural road access across the country.
