Unincorporated establishments cross 9 crore; sector employment tops 15 crore (QBUSE, Jan–Mar 2026)
NSO's Quarterly Bulletin on Unincorporated Sector Enterprises, released on 21 May 2026, put the number of unincorporated non-agricultural establishments at 9.16 crore in January–March 2026, up 16.69% year-on-year, with employment crossing 15 crore for the first time.
Summary
The National Statistics Office's Quarterly Bulletin on Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (QBUSE) for January–March 2026, released on 21 May 2026, estimates 9.16 crore unincorporated non-agricultural establishments, up 16.69% from 7.85 crore a year earlier. Rural establishments grew 20.46% and urban ones 12.59%. Employment in the sector reached 15.17 crore, crossing 15 crore for the first time, a rise of 15.51%. About 81% of establishments used the internet for business and about 81% used cashless transactions, while women made up over 29% of the workforce. QBUSE is the quarterly edition of the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE).
Key facts
- Release
- QBUSE, Jan–Mar 2026, NSO (MoSPI), 21 May 2026
- Establishments
- 9.16 crore (7.85 crore a year earlier), +16.69%
- Rural / urban growth
- 20.46% / 12.59%
- Employment
- 15.17 crore (+15.51%), first time above 15 crore
- Digital
- ~81% use internet; ~81% cashless
- Women
- Over 29% of workforce
- Parent survey
- ASUSE (annual, launched 2021-22)
Practice MCQs 3 questions
As per NSO's QBUSE for January–March 2026, the estimated number of unincorporated non-agricultural establishments was:
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Correct answer: C — 9.16 crore
Establishments rose to 9.16 crore from 7.85 crore in the same quarter a year earlier, a 16.69% increase.
Consider the following statements based on the QBUSE for January–March 2026: 1. Employment in the unincorporated non-agricultural sector crossed 15 crore for the first time. 2. Urban establishments grew faster than rural establishments. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Employment reached 15.17 crore, crossing 15 crore for the first time. Rural growth (20.46%) was faster than urban (12.59%), so statement 2 is wrong.
What share of total employment in the unincorporated non-agricultural sector did women account for in January–March 2026?
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Correct answer: B — More than 29%
The women workforce constituted more than 29% of total employment in the sector.