The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Government of India, has been at the forefront of collecting valuable socio-economic data through nationwide sample surveys. However, NSSO has been facing increasing challenges related to non-cooperation, and refusal to part with information in surveys, particularly from high-income groups, gated communities, and high-rise housing societies. Understanding and addressing non-response in this specific segment of population is crucial for obtaining representative data that accurately reflects societal trends and needs.

To address these concerns, NSSO is organizing a Brainstorming Session on 20^th September 2024 at Le Meridian, New Delhi, aimed at understanding and tackling non-response issues. The session will bring together key stakeholders, including policymakers, urban economists, survey agencies, Regulatory bodies and service agencies of the real estate sector, representatives from Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) and gated Societies. Around 130 participants from more than 25 organisations/Housing Societies will attend the session. In addition to this, representatives from more than 50 housing societies from different part of the country particularly from the metropolitan cities will join virtually through respective Regional Offices of NSSO.

The brainstorming session features presentations on recent trends in non-response, their effects on data quality, and discussions on leveraging technology and customized strategies to enhance survey participation among high-income groups. The event will also highlight international best practices and examine the role of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in facilitating data collection. The focus will be on exploring innovative solutions to improve participation and ensure more representative data collection.

The event will start with the opening remarks by Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI, Thereafter, Sh. Anand Kumar, Chairman, RERA, Delhi & Sh. Shiv Das Meena, Chairman, RERA, Tamil Nadu will be gracing the session with a special address. The Experts from distinguished institutes, survey agencies from the State Government and private sector, international organizations & Builder’s Association etc, will share insights on the possible strategies to mitigate non-response. A session for sharing the views and open discussions by RWAs is also scheduled which will contribute to the in-depth discussions.

Through this initiative, MoSPI aims to enhance collaboration, build trust, and improve data accuracy and comprehensiveness. The session promotes awareness of NSSO's data privacy practices and the importance of survey participation for evidence-based policymaking. By engaging directly with high-income groups and gated communities, MoSPI seeks to boost response rates and strengthen survey reliability.

Non-response by high-income groups threatens representative survey data; collaborative strategies seek to improve participation and data quality. Non-response by affluent segments, notably high-income households, gated communities, and high-rise societies, poses a material risk to the integrity and representativeness of national sample surveys. NSSO is convening a multi-stakeholder Brainstorming Session to diagnose non-response trends, assess effects on survey quality, and develop targeted measures-including technological solutions, RWA engagement, and strengthened data privacy practices-to increase participation and secure more representative data for policymaking.