RBI's November 2026 Inflation Expectations Survey of Households, Explained
I read RBI notes the same way I read a chart: stick to what is written, note the date, and leave the guesses aside. On 3 November 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched the November 2026 round of its Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH).
I am Nishi Jain, a full-time trader in Jaipur and ex-JioBlackRock. Here is what the press release actually says.
What RBI announced
RBI said it has been regularly conducting the Inflation Expectations Survey of Households. The November 2026 round is now open.
The aim, in RBI's words, is to capture "subjective assessments on price movements and inflation, based on their individual consumption baskets," across 19 cities. The results "provide useful inputs for monetary policy."
Press Release: 2026-2027/1429, dated 3 November 2026.
The 19 cities covered
The release names: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi and Thiruvananthapuram.
This is a city sample. If you live in one of these places, the field agency may approach your household.
What the survey asks
RBI describes two kinds of responses.
Qualitative
Views on price changes — general prices and prices of specific product groups — for the three months ahead and for the one year ahead period.
Quantitative
Inflation rates for the current period, three months ahead, and one year ahead.
In plain words: one part asks how people feel prices will move. The other asks them to put a number on current and expected inflation. This release does not publish any results. It only opens the round.
Who runs it, and how people can take part
RBI has engaged M/s Hansa Research Group Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai to run this round. Selected households will be approached by the agency and are requested to respond.
People not approached can still take part by filling the survey schedule linked on RBI's site and emailing it as per the press release.
For queries, RBI lists: The Director, Division of Household Surveys, Department of Statistics and Information Management, Reserve Bank of India, C-8, 2nd Floor, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bandra (East), Mumbai-400 051; Phone: 022-2657 8398, 022-2657 8332; email via the link in the release (dhs@rbi.org.in).
How to read a launch like this
A survey launch is process news, not a result.
Mark the date: November 2026 round. Tables come later.
Note the design: qualitative views plus quantitative rates, on current, three-month and one-year horizons.
Note the sample: nineteen named cities only.
Keep it apart from market gauges. Readings such as T-bill auctions or India VIX measure different things. A household inflation survey feeds policy work; it is not a trading screen.
When results appear, read the tables first: response count, current versus forward figures, and any method note from RBI.
What the announcement does not tell you
It does not give November 2026 expectation numbers.
It does not state the sample size.
It does not list the product groups in detail.
It is not a policy rate decision. The release only says the results are useful inputs for monetary policy.
FAQ
What did RBI launch on 3 November 2026?
The November 2026 round of the Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH), in Press Release 2026-2027/1429.
How many cities are covered?
Nineteen cities named in the release, including Jaipur, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
What answers does RBI seek?
Qualitative views on price changes three months and one year ahead, and quantitative inflation rates for the current period, three months ahead and one year ahead.
Who does the fieldwork?
M/s Hansa Research Group Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, on behalf of RBI. Others may respond using the survey schedule linked in the press release.
Does this release change interest rates?
No. It only launches the survey. Rate decisions are separate.
Sources
This article is for information and education only. It is not investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. Details are from RBI Press Release 2026-2027/1429 dated 3 November 2026; refer to the original for full text.
— Nishi Jain, full-time trader in Jaipur, ex-JioBlackRock. Updates: https://t.me/nishijain_com.
