Why it is in the news
On 30 September 2026, the National Statistics Office (NSO) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the results of the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) 2024-25. Total employment in India's registered factory sector crossed 2 crore for the first time, reaching 2.10 crore, while Gross Value Added (GVA) grew 9.59%.
The exam angle
Thesis: Registered manufacturing is adding jobs and capital at a steady pace, but slower GVA growth, modest per-worker wage gains and regional concentration show that India's factory sector is expanding without yet transforming the wider labour market.