The Industrial Outlook Survey is conducted on a quarterly basis since 1998. This will be the 53rd round of the survey and provides useful forward looking inputs for policymakers, analysts and businesses.
"The survey gives an insight into the perception of the public and private limited companies engaged in manufacturing activities about their own performance and prospects," the RBI said in a statement.
The survey covers non-financial private and public limited companies with a good size/industry representation.
"The assessment of business sentiments for the current quarter and expectations for the ensuing quarter are based on qualitative responses to 20 major parameters covering overall business and financial situations, demand indicators, price and employment expectations, profit margins etc," it said.
The New Delhi-based Centre for Research Planning and Action will conduct the survey on behalf of the RBI.
The apex bank has also launched a survey called Order Books, Inventories and Capacity Utilisation Survey of the manufacturing sector for October-December 2010 quarter. This will be the 12th round of the survey.
The survey, which provides significant input to the central bank in monetary policy formulation, will be conducted by Mumbai-based Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) on behalf of the RBI.
"The major manufacturing companies will be approached by the agency during the quarter. Other manufacturing companies that are not approached by the agency can also participate in this survey round by downloading the survey schedule from the Reserve Bank's website," the statement said.