- Why in news
- On 29 September 2026, the Ministry of MSME and MoSPI exchanged an MoU to share Udyam Registration data for building the National Statistical Business Register.
- What it is
- A Statistical Business Register is a central, regularly updated database of economic units in a territory, such as businesses, enterprises and establishments. It records their key features and the links between units. Statistical agencies use it as the base list for economic surveys.
- Parties to the MoU
- The Ministry of MSME and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) exchanged the MoU.
- Data shared
- Unit-wise Udyam Registration data held by the MSME Department will be shared through APIs. It will feed the National Statistical Business Register (NSBR).
- Nature of the API
- The API is two-way, so data can flow in both directions between the ministries.
- What the SBR is
- It is a central, regularly updated database of statistical units engaged in economic activity within a defined territory.
- Uses of the SBR
- It identifies the target population for economic surveys and supports sample selection. It also enables business demography statistics and integration across data sources.
Don’t confuse with Statistical Business Register vs Udyam Registration: Udyam Registration is the MSME Ministry's registration portal for MSMEs. The SBR is a statistical database kept for survey and statistics work, and it draws on sources such as Udyam.
Economy terms and data: 42 Prelims questions since 2013, rising in recent years; they test what a term or instrument means. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.
Why it matters
- A common register of business units gives economic surveys a better sampling frame and wider coverage.
- Using administrative data such as Udyam reduces duplication and improves consistency of business statistics.
Problems
- Data from different sources may use different identifiers and definitions, which makes matching units hard.
- Informal and unregistered units may stay outside the register, leaving coverage gaps.
Way forward
- Link registers through common unique identifiers and keep them updated regularly.
- Bring in more administrative sources while protecting data confidentiality.
Put in your answer
Udyam data via two-way API: Example of inter-ministry data sharing to build a statistical register from administrative records.
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No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting statistical infrastructure using Udyam data; few testable facts and no debate, so no question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.