RBI Launches March 2026 Consumer Confidence Surveys In Rural And Urban Regions

The Reserve Bank of India has initiated the March 2026 rounds of its Rural Consumer Confidence Survey (RCCS) and Urban Consumer Confidence Survey (UCCS). Both surveys aim to capture households’ current perceptions and one‑year‑ahead expectations on key economic indicators.

These include general economic conditions, employment scenario, price levels, income trends, and household spending patterns. The findings play an important role in supporting monetary policy formulation by offering behavioural insights from diverse population groups across the country.

Launch Of the March 2026 Rural Consumer Confidence Survey

The RBI has been conducting the Rural Consumer Confidence Survey at regular intervals to understand sentiment in rural and semi‑urban regions. The March 2026 round extends to households across 31 states and union territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

The survey seeks data on economic situation, employment, price levels, income, and spending from rural and semi‑urban households. Ipsos Research Private Ltd., Gurugram has been appointed to conduct the survey, and selected households will be approached directly by field teams for responses.

Coverage And Methodology of The Rural Survey

The rural survey’s reach spans a wide geographic area, covering households from Ladakh to Tamil Nadu and from Rajasthan to Meghalaya. The questionnaire gathers qualitative assessments of past economic conditions and expectations for the upcoming year.

Responses help track shifts in consumer sentiment related to inflation, income stability, and employment opportunities across rural and semi‑urban belts. The data generated becomes part of RBI’s internal evaluation for monetary policy discussions, adding depth to macroeconomic assessments.

Launch Of the March 2026 Urban Consumer Confidence Survey

RBI has also launched the March 2026 round of the Urban Consumer Confidence Survey, which collects feedback from households residing in major cities. This survey covers 19 cities, including Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Ranchi, and Thiruvananthapuram.

The survey gathers views on general economic conditions, employment scenario, price levels, household income, and spending patterns. Hansa Research Group Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, has been engaged to administer the survey and collect responses from selected urban households.

Scope And Importance of The Urban Survey

The urban survey focuses on metropolitan and large‑city environments where consumption trends play a significant role in economic activity. The survey captures sentiments that influence discretionary spending, job confidence, and inflation expectations in urban contexts.

Regular rounds of the survey enable RBI to analyse changes in consumer perception during varying economic phases. The findings support monetary policy assessment by highlighting demand‑side signals within India’s urban population.

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Conclusion

The launch of the March 2026 RCCS and UCCS highlights RBI’s continued effort to closely monitor consumer sentiment across rural and urban regions. Together, the surveys offer a consolidated picture of household expectations related to economic conditions, employment, prices, and personal financial outlook.

The findings help inform monetary policy decisions by presenting qualitative, ground‑level insights beyond official economic statistics. With dedicated survey agencies administering the current round, RBI will compile and evaluate the results in the coming months.

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