The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) under the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation was established in 1950, with the objective of obtaining comprehensive and continuing information relating to social, economic, demographic, industrial and agricultural statistics through sample surveys on countrywide basis.  It has been, therefore, instrumental in developing a strong database that has helped the Central as well as State Governments in development planning and policy formulations.

The NSSO has four Divisions namely, Survey Design & Research Division (SDRD), Data Processing Division (DPD), Field Operations Division (FOD) and Coordination & Publication Division (CPD) to carry out different responsibilities.  Each of these Divisions, except the CPD, is headed by Additional Director General.  All these four Divisions function under the guidance of Director-General & Chief Executive Officer (DG&CEO).  SDRD located at Kolkata is responsible for planning of the survey, finalization of sample design, schedules, instructions and tabulation programme, report writing, etc.  DPD with its headquarters at Kolkata process the data collected through socio-economic surveys through its six Data Processing Centres across the country.  The Field Operations Division (FOD) is responsible for collection of data from the field on various surveys of the NSSO.  The FOD with head quarters at New Delhi functions through a network of 6 Zonal Offices, 49 Regional Offices and 116 Sub-Regional Offices spread throughout the length and breadth of the country. CPD coordinates the activities of all the Divisions.

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) functions under the overall direction of National Statistical Commission (NSC). The National Statistical Commission has the requisite independence and autonomy of decision making in the collection; processing and the publication of NSS data. The autonomy includes the choice of subjects or items on which data have to be collected in a given field of investigation or in a given period, the frequency with which the data on any item are to be collected, the preparatory or pilot work to be undertaken on different subjects, the sample design to be adopted, the tabulation to be prepared, the form in which the data are to be collected and processed and the analysis and publication of results.

Every year NSSO conducts not only large-scale sample surveys in the form of NSS Rounds covering a variety of socio-economic topics, but also other important surveys in the field of Industrial Statistics (Annual Survey of Industries), Agricultural Statistics and Retail Prices.

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