Received a Notice from Government Asking for Business Details? It Could Be ASISSE – Here Is Everything You Need to Know
The article explains the Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE), a nationwide statistical survey launched by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in April 2026 for FY 2024-25. The author recounts initially suspecting the notice to be fraudulent before verifying its authenticity through the official MoSPI portal and a PIB press release dated 06.04.2026. ASISSE seeks detailed information relating to business structure, financials, employees, wages, assets, receipts, expenses, technology usage, and working capital from companies and LLPs in the services sector. The article emphasizes that ASISSE is not connected with Income Tax assessments, GST scrutiny, or any enforcement action, and that survey data cannot legally be shared with tax authorities. Conducted under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, compliance with the survey is mandatory, and non-response can attract penalties, daily fines, and prosecution for wilful false information. The article also provides practical guidance regarding portal filing, GSTIN-wise reporting, document requirements, validation procedures, and confidentiality protections available to respondents.
Page Contents
- How It All Started – My Own Encounter with This Notice
- What Is ASISSE? Understanding the Big Picture
- Objectives Behind ASISSE – Why Does the Government Need This Data?
- Legal Framework and Actual Penalties – This Is Not Optional
- This Is a Survey Notice – NOT an Income Tax or GST Notice
- Who Is Receiving This Notice?
- How Do I Verify That the Notice Is Genuine?
- What Should You Do When You Receive the Notice?
- How to Respond – Practical Guide for Filling the Portal
- What Information and Documents Will You Need?
- Consequences of Not Responding
- What to Do After Submitting the Information?
- Confidentiality – Your Data Cannot Be Shared with Tax Authorities
- Frequently Asked Questions (From the Field)
- Conclusion
How It All Started – My Own Encounter with This Notice
A few weeks ago, one of our clients forwarded me a notice that, at first glance, genuinely looked suspicious. The notice was from the Government of India – the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) to be precise – asking the client’s company to log into a web portal and furnish detailed information about their business operations, financial details, number of employees, salaries paid, and much more pertaining to Financial Year 2024-25.
My client’s first reaction? “Is this a scam?” And honestly, my own first reaction was not very different. In my nine-plus years of practice, I had handled Income Tax notices, GST scrutiny, ROC filings, and FEMA matters – but I had never come across a survey notice like this. No circular had come across my desk, and no colleague had mentioned it. Naturally, the suspicion was understandable.
But curiosity got the better of me. I opened the link provided in the notice, logged into the portal, and found that the government was not merely asking for basic financials – they wanted a comprehensive picture of the entire enterprise: structure, workforce, output, value addition, fixed assets, working capital, receipts, expenses, and more. That level of detail made me sit up and research further. I then came across the official Press Release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on 6th April, 2026, confirming everything. Within the next few days, two more of our clients received similar notices – removing any remaining doubt about the genuineness of this exercise.
What Is ASISSE? Understanding the Big Picture
ASISSE stands for the Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises. It is conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under MoSPI, Government of India. This is India’s first-ever dedicated annual survey of the formal (incorporated) services sector.
We already had the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) for the registered manufacturing sector, and the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) for the informal non-agricultural sector. But there was a major statistical gap – no comprehensive, structured, annual survey existed specifically for the incorporated services sector. ASISSE fills that gap.
| Key Parameter | Details |
| Survey Launch | April 2026 |
| Reference Period | FY 2024-25 (1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025) |
| Conducting Authority | National Statistics Office (NSO), MoSPI, Govt. of India |
| Geographical Coverage | Whole of India – All States and Union Territories |
| Sample Size | Approximately 1,21,350 enterprises |
| Mode of Data Collection | Secure web-based portal |
| Activity Classification | National Industrial Classification (NIC) 2025 |
| Product/Service Classification | Central Product Classification (CPC) 3.0 (Draft) |
| Legal Authority | Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 (as amended in 2017) |
Objectives Behind ASISSE – Why Does the Government Need This Data?
This is perhaps the most common question from clients and fellow professionals: “The government already has our GST returns, ROC filings, Income Tax returns, and employee data with PF/ESIC/PT – why are they asking again?”
The answer lies in understanding that different databases serve different purposes. The existing registrations and returns capture compliance data – they are not designed to generate statistical, sector-level economic indicators. Here is a comparison:
The specific objectives of ASISSE are as follows:
- GDP and GVA Computation: The services sector contributes over 50% of India’s GDP. NSO needs enterprise-level GVA, output, and intermediate consumption data to accurately compute national accounts.
- Employment and Wage Mapping: Policymakers need to know how many people are employed in the formal services sector, what they earn, and where job creation is happening or lagging.
- Capital Formation Data: Investment in fixed assets by the services sector feeds directly into Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) estimates – a key GDP component.
- Sectoral Policy Formulation: Unless the government knows where growth is occurring, where support is needed, and how enterprises are structured, it cannot frame targeted policies for the sector.
- International Statistical Obligations: India’s national accounts must align with international standards (UN System of National Accounts). This survey is part of that framework.
- Digital Readiness Assessment: The survey also captures whether enterprises use technologies like AI, cloud computing, or cybersecurity – reflecting how future-ready data collection has become.
Legal Framework and Actual Penalties – This Is Not Optional
| ASISSE is legally mandatory under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 (as amended in 2017) and the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023. This is not a request – it is a statutory obligation. |
The penalties under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 (as amended) are as follows:
| Stage | Timeline | Consequence |
| Initial Notice Ignored | Day 1 onwards | First penalty: Up to ₹5,000 for companies / ₹1,000 for individuals |
| Continued Non-Compliance | After 14 days of first penalty | Additional daily penalty: Up to ₹5,000 per day for companies / ₹1,000 per day for individuals |
| Willful False Information | Any point | Prosecution under CoS Act – imprisonment up to 6 months, or fine, or both |
| Data Misuse by Govt. Officials | Any point | Imprisonment up to 6 months, or fine up to ₹1,000, or both (protects respondents) |
Additionally, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, decriminalised some provisions but the enhanced monetary penalties remain fully in force. The critical point: paying a penalty does not exempt the enterprise from still having to submit the data. Compliance remains mandatory even after penalty payment.
There is also a practical timeline to be aware of:
- Day 1: Notice issued with credentials and submission deadline.
- Day 15 (approx.): If ignored, an official legal reminder is issued with a stern warning of further action.
- Day 30 (approx.): If still unfilled, financial penalties can be formally imposed.
This Is a Survey Notice – NOT an Income Tax or GST Notice
| The single biggest misconception about this notice: it is NOT from the Income Tax Department.
There is no tax demand, no tax scrutiny, no raid, no investigation, and no penalty for tax evasion involved here. ASISSE is a purely statistical exercise. The data you submit cannot legally be accessed by the Income Tax Department, GST authorities, SEBI, RBI, or any other regulatory body for any enforcement purpose. |
The Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 explicitly prohibits the use of survey data as evidence for prosecution under any other law. In other words, even if there are inadvertent discrepancies between the ASISSE data you submit and your IT returns or GST returns, that data cannot be used to initiate any tax proceeding against you. The purpose is strictly statistical aggregation.
That said, this does not mean you should submit careless or inconsistent data. The numbers should have overall logical consistency with your books of accounts, even if a penny-for-penny match with IT/GST returns is not required (since the parameters and definitions differ). Wild or implausible figures will trigger internal validation flags and NSO may follow up for clarification.
Who Is Receiving This Notice?
- Entity Type: Companies registered under the Companies Act, 1956 or 2013, and LLPs under the LLP Act, 2008 – including Pvt. Ltd., Public Ltd., PSUs, Unlimited Companies, and LLPs. Proprietorships and partnerships are excluded.
- Sector: Entities engaged in the services sector – Trade, Transport, Hospitality, IT, Education, Healthcare, Real Estate, Construction (incorporated), Finance, Insurance, Professional Services, etc.
- Unit of Selection: The survey selects entities at the GSTIN level within a State. Each state-level GSTIN is a potentially separate selected unit.
- Selection Basis: GSTN database is the sampling frame. Large enterprises (high turnover) are selected with certainty; smaller enterprises are selected through scientific random sampling. The process is vetted by technical committees.
How Do I Verify That the Notice Is Genuine?
1. The notice is issued by the Statistics Authority notified for your State/UT under the CoS Act and published in the Gazette.
2. It contains login credentials for the web portal hosted on MoSPI’s secure infrastructure (mospi.gov.in domain).
3. NSO’s FOD personnel visiting your office carry an official photo identity card issued by NSO, Government of India.
4. Verify independently via PIB Press Release dated 6th April, 2026 (Release ID: 2249336) at pib.gov.in.
5. If login credentials in the notice are not working, contact the local NSO Field Office – contact details are mentioned in the notice itself.
What Should You Do When You Receive the Notice?
1. Do not ignore it. Even if it looks unusual, the legal consequences of non-response are serious.
2. Verify its genuineness using the checklist above.
3. Read the notice carefully. It will mention the specific GSTIN, reference period (FY 2024-25), and portal login credentials.
4. Mark the deadline prominently. The clock starts ticking from the date of the notice.
5. Identify the correct person in the organisation – typically the accounts/finance team with access to FY 2024-25 books.
6. Consult your CA/advisor if the questionnaire appears complex or if apportionment between activities/states is involved.
7. Respond within the stipulated time. If an extension is needed, seek it proactively through the portal or the field office.
How to Respond – Practical Guide for Filling the Portal
The data is collected through a secure web portal. Login credentials are provided in the notice. The questionnaire is divided into Blocks. Only the blocks relevant to your enterprise’s activities will be enabled. Here is how each block maps to your financial records:
| Block | Section | Maps To |
| Block 1 | Enterprise Identity | Basic enterprise details, GSTIN, NIC Code, status during FY 2024-25 |
| Block 2 | Enterprise Characteristics | Nature of business, ownership type |
| Block 3 | Fixed Assets | Asset side of the Balance Sheet – plant, machinery, land, buildings (opening values, additions, disposals, depreciation) |
| Block 4 | Working Capital & Loans | Current assets, inventories, short-term loans from Balance Sheet |
| Block 5 | Employment & Labour Costs | Payroll register – number of employees (male/female/transgender), permanent/contract/casual, average headcount, wages paid |
| Block 6A & 6B | Expenses / Intermediate Consumption | P&L – each expense item coded using CPC 3.0 codes (cannot be dumped in ‘Others’) |
| Block 7A | Receipts / Output | P&L – all income/receipts rigorously categorised (revenue from services = ‘Receipt from trading’) |
| Block 9 | Auto-Aggregation & Consistency Check | Auto-computes GVA, net profit – system cross-checks your data for internal consistency |
| Blocks 11 & 12 | Digital Technology Usage | Yes/No for AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, clean energy adoption |
Key practical points while filling the portal:
- No estimation or notional values: The portal strictly requires actual figures. Fake or estimated data will trigger error flags and cannot be bypassed.
- Revenue/Sales entry: Revenue from operations should be entered under ‘Receipt from trading’ in Block 7A and must match Block 7A totals.
- Depreciation: Enter in Block 3 (under fixed assets) as per audited balance sheet. The system computes NVA by deducting this from GVA.
- Manpower supply or service businesses: Revenue should be classified under the appropriate CPC 3.0 service code in Block 7A. If unsure about the code, refer to the Instruction Manual on mospi.gov.in.
- Multiple locations, same GSTIN: Provide combined information for all locations within the same state under the same GSTIN.
- Multiple GSTINs across states: Fill data only for the selected GSTIN. If both GSTINs are selected, fill separately for each. Never combine them.
- HQ in another state: Consult the HQ and extract GSTIN-wise data through apportionment.
- Manufacturing + services: Report only services sector activities. Apportion suitably from books of accounts.
Validation and Submission – The Final Three Steps:
1. Review: Thoroughly review all answers. Block 9 will auto-aggregate your data and flag any abnormalities.
2. Validate: Press the Validate button on the portal. The system runs internal consistency checks.
3. Submit: Once all green flags appear, press the Submit button before the deadline.
What Information and Documents Will You Need?
| Category | Details |
| Financial Records | Balance Sheet with schedules, P&L Account, Ledger, Tax register for FY 2024-25 |
| Employment Records | Payroll sheets, wage register, muster roll, attendance register, leave register |
| Enterprise Identity | Name, GSTIN, NIC Code, status during FY 2024-25 |
| Fixed Assets | Opening/closing values, additions, disposals, depreciation from audited Balance Sheet |
| Working Capital | Current assets and current liabilities from Balance Sheet |
| Output & Receipts | Total value of services rendered, categorised by CPC 3.0 codes |
| Expenses | All operating expenses categorised by CPC 3.0 codes – not just P&L totals |
| Employment Data | No. of workers by type, gender, and category – from actual payroll data |
| Digital Technology | Whether AI, cloud, cybersecurity, or clean energy tools are in use |
Consequences of Not Responding
| Non-compliance is a punishable offence under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008. The penalties are real, enforceable, and accrue daily. |
- Initial Penalty: Up to ₹5,000 for companies (₹1,000 for individuals) for failure or refusal to furnish information.
- Continuing Penalty: Up to ₹5,000 per day for companies (₹1,000 per day for individuals) for each day the non-compliance continues after the first penalty.
- False Information: Prosecution under the CoS Act – imprisonment up to 6 months, or fine, or both.
- Recovery Mechanism: Penalties can be recovered as arrears of land revenue under Section 15C of the CoS Act.
- Payment Does Not Exempt: Paying the penalty does not release the enterprise from its obligation to submit data. Compliance remains mandatory.
- Cross-Validation: Since ASISSE is a record-based survey, NSO can cross-validate the data you provide against your official records during field visits.
What to Do After Submitting the Information?
1. Retain a copy of the filled questionnaire and portal acknowledgment as your compliance record.
2. Note down the submission date for future reference.
3. Be available for follow-up. NSO field staff may contact you to verify certain figures. This is standard methodology.
4. Update your compliance calendar. ASISSE is intended to be annual. Expect this notice every year going forward.
| The Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 legally prohibits NSO from sharing your survey data with the Income Tax Department, GST authorities, or any other regulatory or enforcement body. The data is used exclusively for statistical aggregation and cannot be used as evidence in any other legal proceeding. |
Individual enterprise data cannot be published or disclosed in any form that could identify the enterprise. Even indirect disclosure of identity is protected under the Act. This is a genuine statutory protection – not just an assurance.
Frequently Asked Questions (From the Field)
The following questions have come up from business owners and professionals who have encountered this notice:
Q1. My company has multiple GST registrations across India. Do I need to submit details for all GSTINs or only the one for which I received the notice?
Only for the GSTIN for which the notice has been received. If separate accounts for each GSTIN are not maintained, apportionment from consolidated books of accounts is acceptable. If multiple GSTINs of the same enterprise are separately selected, each must be filled independently. Never combine data of multiple GSTINs.
Since each GSTIN enterprise selected in the survey represent many other similar GSTIN enterprises (and hence have a sampling weight attached with it which may vary from one selected enterprise to another), combining the data of multiple GSTIN enterprises would distort the estimate and hence should never be attempted.
Q2. Is attachment of financial statements mandatory? If yes, should financials relate to the concerned GSTIN or the entire company?
Financial statements as such are not uploaded to the portal – rather, data from the financial statements (balance sheet, P&L) is entered directly into the portal blocks. If accounts are maintained at an entity level and not at GSTIN level, suitable apportionment to extract GSTIN-level figures is required.
Q3. In the payroll section, should employee/payroll information relate only to the concerned GSTIN or the entire organisation?
Only for the concerned GSTIN (the unit for which the notice was received). If payroll records are maintained at a consolidated level, apportionment to the selected GSTIN is necessary.
Q4. Where do I enter revenue from operations / sales in the P&L section?
Revenue from services rendered or trading activity should be entered under ‘Receipt from trading’ in Block 7A. For manpower supply businesses or service providers, classify the revenue under the appropriate CPC 3.0 service code. The income figures must match between the P&L entries and Block 7A totals – mismatches will trigger error flags.
Q5. Where do I provide depreciation in the P&L account?
Depreciation is entered in Block 3 (Fixed Assets section) as per the audited balance sheet. The system uses this to auto-compute Net Value Added (NVA) by deducting depreciation from Gross Value Added (GVA). You do not need to separately enter depreciation in the P&L blocks.
Q6. My company’s name or address has changed since GSTN registration. What should I do?
Fill the questionnaire with the updated name and address. The data itself should be based on actual books of accounts for the selected GSTIN for FY 2024-25.
Q7. What if my enterprise does not belong to the surveyed sector or has shut down?
Provide the appropriate status code in Block 1 of the questionnaire. Do not simply ignore the notice. NSO field officials may ask for relevant records to verify your claim.
Q8. My enterprise carries on both manufacturing and services activities. What do I report?
Only the services sector activities are to be covered under ASISSE. Manufacturing activities are excluded. Suitable apportionment from the books of accounts is required to separate the two.
Q9. The login credentials mentioned in the notice are not working. What should I do?
The credentials are provided in the official notice received by registered post. If they are still not working, contact the local NSO Field Office – the contact details are mentioned in the notice itself. Do not delay in reporting credential issues as the deadline continues to run.
Q10. Do I have to answer all the questions in the questionnaire?
You are required to fill all the enabled blocks. Not all blocks will be active for your enterprise – the relevant blocks depend on the type of activity you pursue. The inactive blocks will remain disabled in the portal. But for all enabled blocks, responses are mandatory.
Q11. The financial statements for FY 2024-25 are not yet finalised. Can I still submit?
It is unlikely that statements for FY 2024-25 would not be ready by the time of this survey (April 2026 onwards). However, if in a genuinely rare scenario the accounts are unfinished, provide the appropriate status code with a detailed reason. Field officials may verify records.
Conclusion
The ASISSE survey is a landmark statistical initiative by the Government of India, representing India’s commitment to building a robust data ecosystem for the services sector – a sector contributing more than 50% of India’s GDP. For too long, the incorporated services sector was a statistical blind spot. ASISSE changes that.
| If your client (a company or LLP in the services sector) receives a notice asking them to log into a MoSPI portal and submit data – do not assume it is a scam and do not confuse it with an Income Tax notice. Verify it, take it seriously, and respond accurately and on time. The notice is genuine, it is legally backed, and non-response is not an option. |
Sources:
- PIB Press Release – Launch of ASISSE (Release ID: 2249336, dated 6th April 2026): pib.gov.in
- Know Your Survey: A User Guide to ASISSE – MoSPI / NSO, April 2026
- MoSPI Official Website: mospi.gov.in
- Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 (as amended in 2017 and via Jan Vishwas Act, 2023)
- Business Standard – Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 – Penalty Provisions
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Author: CA Harshil S. Shah (CA, LLB, Diploma in Cyber Law) | Partner, P C Ghadiali and Co LLP, Mumbai | sharshil323@gmail.com
Disclaimer: This article is intended for general awareness and educational purposes. It is based on the official “Know Your Survey – A User Guide to ASISSE” published by MoSPI (April 2026), PIB Press Release dated 6th April, 2026 (Release ID: 2249336), and the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 as amended. Penalty figures are as per the CoS Act, 2008; readers should verify any subsequent amendments.
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