MoSPI Releases Draft National Industrial Classification 2025 for Feedback

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), India’s nodal agency for setting statistical standards and ensuring uniformity in data collection, compilation, and dissemination, has released the Draft National Industrial Classification (NIC)-2025 for stakeholder feedback. This marks a major step in the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to improve the timeliness, quality, and granularity of data through structural reforms.

Evolution of India’s Industrial Classification

The National Industrial Classification (NIC) forms the backbone of India’s statistical framework, being used for:

• Economic and social surveys

• Censuses and research studies

• Industrial and business registration processes

• Policy design and monitoring by Central and State governments

India first introduced the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) in 1962. Since then, revisions have aligned NIC with changes in the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC). The key revisions include:

• NIC 1970 – aligned with ISIC Rev. 2

• NIC 1987 & 1990 – to capture emerging economic changes

• NIC 1998, 2004, and 2008 – successive refinements in line with ISIC updates

The current revision was necessitated by the United Nations Statistical Commission’s adoption of ISIC Revision 5 in 2024, along with significant transformations in India’s economic structure.

Why NIC-2025?

India’s economy has undergone technological and structural changes over the past decade, creating new industries and reshaping existing ones. The NIC-2025 seeks to capture these developments more comprehensively, including:

• Renewable energy sector – solar, wind, bio-energy, and hybrid technologies

• Fintech and digital finance – payment gateways, digital lending, and blockchain-based services

• E-commerce and digital economy – online marketplaces, logistics platforms, and gig economy activities

• AYUSH health system – Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy services

• Intermediation activities – including digital intermediation platforms such as ride-sharing and service aggregators

• Telecommunications and ICT – growth of digital infrastructure, data services, and AI-driven industries

Granularity and Expansion

A key feature of the draft NIC-2025 is its expanded classification granularity:

• Sub-Classes increased to ~1900, compared to 1304 in NIC-2008.

• Special refinements in sectors such as Health, Finance, Agriculture, and ICT.

• Enhanced disaggregation for accurate measurement of sectoral contributions to GDP and better policy tracking.

By aligning with ISIC Rev. 5 up to the 4-digit (Class) level, NIC-2025 ensures international comparability of data, while the 5-digit (Sub-Class) structure accommodates India’s specific requirements.

Consultation and Drafting Process

The draft has been prepared under the guidance of an Expert Committee, comprising:

• Eminent academicians and economists

• Representatives from industry associations

• Experts from government agencies and statistical organizations

Extensive consultations were held with line Ministries, Departments, industry bodies, and research institutions, ensuring that NIC-2025 reflects the needs of both policymakers and industry stakeholders.

Call for Public Comments

Recognizing the importance of NIC for multiple stakeholders, MoSPI has invited comments and suggestions from government agencies, industry representatives, academia, and the general public.

• Deadline for comments: 20th September 2025

• Submission options:

  • By email to classification-esd@mospi.nic.in (with subject line: “Comments on draft NIC 2025”)

  • Via Google Form: Submit Comments

• Access draft NIC-2025: MoSPI NIC-2025 Draft

Towards Better Data-Driven Governance

The release of the Draft NIC-2025 underscores MoSPI’s commitment to strengthening data standards in India, making them more reliable, timely, and globally comparable. With an expanded classification framework, the NIC-2025 will enable:

• More granular tracking of economic growth

• Better policy formulation in emerging sectors

• Stronger alignment with SDG monitoring and global statistical practices

Once finalized, NIC-2025 will serve as a critical reference point for India’s statistical ecosystem, ensuring that the country’s economic transformation is captured with greater accuracy and clarity.