On 29 April 2026, the National Statistical Office (NSO) released the findings of its 80th Round of the Household Consumption Health Survey (2025).
Key Findings of the NSO 80th Round (2025)
1. Improved Health-Seeking Behaviour (PPRA)
The Proportion of Population Reported Ailing (PPRA) has nearly doubled. In public health terms, this is often seen as a positive indicator, suggesting that more people are aware of their health status and are seeking medical attention rather than ignoring symptoms.
| Region | 2017-18 Figures | 2025 Figures |
| Rural India | 6.8% | 12.2% |
| Urban India | 9.1% | 14.9% |
2. Surge in Health Insurance Coverage
There has been a threefold increase in the population covered under government-financed health insurance schemes (like Ayushman Bharat – PMJAY and various State schemes).
- Rural Coverage: Jumped from 12.9% to 45.5%.
- Urban Coverage: Jumped from 8.9% to 31.8%.
3. Decline in Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE)
OOPE is the money paid directly by households at the point of service. High OOPE is a major cause of “catastrophic health expenditure” that pushes families into poverty.
- Median Hospitalisation Cost: ₹11,285 (The NSO noted that “Mean” values are higher only due to a few high-cost specialized cases).
- Public Sector Advantage:
- In public facilities, the median OOPE for half of hospitalisation cases is only ₹1,100.
- Outpatient (Non-hospitalisation) care in public facilities has a median OOPE of zero, reflecting successful “Free Drugs and Diagnostics” initiatives.
4. Maternal Health: Institutional Deliveries
India is nearing near-universal institutional deliveries, which is crucial for reducing Maternal Mortality Rates (MMR).
- Rural: 95.6%
- Urban: 97.8%
5. Epidemiological Transition
The survey highlights a shift in India’s disease burden:
- Decline: Infectious/Communicable diseases.
- Rise: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like Diabetes and Cardiovascular conditions.
What is the National Statistical Office (NSO)?
The NSO is the central statistical agency of the Government of India. It was created in May 2019 by the merger of two premier organizations: the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
- Parent Ministry: It functions under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- Head: It is headed by the Chief Statistician of India, who also serves as the Secretary of MoSPI.
- Purpose: To streamline India’s statistical system, ensuring that data related to the economy, society, and industry is collected with high accuracy and coordination.
Functions and Mandate of the NSO
The NSO acts as the “backbone” of India’s evidence-based policymaking. Its primary mandates include:
- Nodal Agency: It serves as the nodal agency for the planned development of the statistical system in India, setting standards and norms for definitions and methodologies.
- National Accounts: It prepares and publishes national income statistics, including Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Gross National Product (GNP), and per capita income.
- Economic Indicators: It compiles and releases the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) every month and conducts the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI).
- Socio-Economic Surveys: It conducts large-scale, all-India sample surveys on crucial subjects like:
- Household Consumption and Expenditure.
- Employment and Unemployment (PLFS).
- Health and Education.
- Coordination: It coordinates statistical work between various Central Ministries and State Statistical Bureaus (SSBs).
- International Liaison: It maintains links with international bodies like the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD) and the IMF to ensure India’s data meets global standards.
What is the Household Consumption Health Survey?
Officially called the “Survey on Household Social Consumption: Health,” this is a specialized large-scale survey conducted as part of the NSO’s regular socio-economic rounds.
- Objective: To gather comprehensive data on the utilization of health services, the cost of medical treatment, and the health status of the population.
- Significance: It helps the government measure the “financial burden” of healthcare on citizens and evaluate the success of schemes like Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY).
Focus Areas of the 80th Round (2025-26)
- PPRA (Proportion of Population Reported Ailing): Measures the percentage of people who self-reported being sick in a specific period (found to have doubled in 2025 due to better health awareness).
- OOPE (Out-of-Pocket Expenditure): Tracks how much money families spend from their own pockets for hospitalisation and outpatient care.
- Insurance Coverage: Analyzes the reach of government health insurance schemes (which saw a 3x rise in rural areas).
- Institutional Deliveries: Tracks the percentage of births occurring in hospitals rather than at home.
- Epidemiological Transition: Records the shift from infectious diseases to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and heart disease.
Significance
A. Strengthening of Public Healthcare
There is a clear trend of citizens returning to the public health system. Rural utilization for outpatient care rose from 28% (2014) to 35% (2025). This is attributed to the expansion of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) which focus on primary healthcare.
B. Financial Risk Protection
The scaling up of PM-JAY has significantly reduced the financial risk for the bottom 40% of the population, particularly in rural areas where coverage is now nearly 46%.
C. Focus on Primary Healthcare
The “Zero OOPE” for outpatient care in public facilities underscores the success of the National Health Mission (NHM) in providing free essential drugs and diagnostic services at the primary level.
Practice Questions
For Prelims (PT)
Q. According to the NSO 80th Round Survey, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- The Proportion of Population Reported Ailing (PPRA) has declined significantly since 2017.
- Median Out-of-Pocket Expenditure for outpatient care in public facilities has reached zero.
- Over 45% of the rural population is now covered under government health insurance schemes.
Select the correct answer:
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 3 only
D) 1, 2, and 3
Answer: B) 2 and 3 only. (Statement 1 is wrong because PPRA has doubled, not declined).
For Mains
Q. “While India has made significant strides in expanding health insurance coverage and reducing out-of-pocket expenditure, the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) poses a new challenge to the public health system.” Discuss in light of the NSO 80th Round findings. (250 words)