RBI launches Quarterly Order Books, Inventories and Capacity Utilisation Survey: July – September 2026 (Round 75)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) initiated the 75th round of the Order Books, Inventories and Capacity Utilisation Survey (OBICUS) for the quarter ending September 2026. The survey, conducted quarterly since 2008, gathers data on new orders, backlog, inventories, and production levels from manufacturing firms. Responses help estimate capacity utilisation, a critical input for monetary policy decisions.

Selected manufacturing companies will receive direct requests to participate in the survey, while others may voluntarily download the questionnaire from the RBI’s official website. The survey covers quantitative details such as order backlogs, finished goods, work-in-progress, and raw material inventories at quarter-end. It also records production quantities, values, and reasons for changes in capacity utilisation during the period.

The RBI’s Division of Enterprise Surveys will oversee data collection, with company-level responses treated as confidential and never disclosed. Participants must submit authenticated survey schedules via email using contact details provided in the questionnaire. The survey findings are published regularly on the RBI’s website for public access.

The OBICUS survey aims to provide granular insights into the manufacturing sector’s operational dynamics. By tracking order flows, inventory levels, and capacity utilisation, the RBI enhances its assessment of economic conditions to guide policy measures. The 75th round continues the survey’s long-standing role in informing monetary policy since its inception in 2008.