India - Employment and Unemployment: NSS 61st Round, Schedule 10, July 2004 - June 2005

Principal occupation (NCO-1968): The description of the principal household occupation will be recorded in the space provided. The appropriate three-digit occupation code of the NCO -1968 is to be recorded against 3 cells provided for recording the NIC codes putting one digit in each cell. For households deriving income from non-economic activities only, a dash (-) may be put against this item.
To determine the household principal industry and occupation, the general procedure to be followed is to list all the occupations pertaining to economic activities pursued by the members of the household excluding those employed by the household and paying guests (who in view of their staying and taking food in the household are considered as its normal members) during the one year period preceding the date of survey, no matter whether such occupations are pursued by the members in their principal or subsidiary (on the basis of earnings) capacity. Out of the occupations listed that one which fetched the maximum earnings to the household during the last 365 days preceding the date of survey would be considered as the principal household occupation. It is quite possible that one or more members of the household may pursue the household occupation in different industries. In such cases, the particular industry out of all the different industries corresponding to the principal occupation, which fetched the maximum earnings, should be considered as the principal industry of the household. In extreme cases, the earnings may be equal in two different occupations or industry-occupation combinations. By convention, in such cases, priority will be given to the occupation or industry-occupation combination of the senior-most member.