NCAER is India's oldest and largest national, non-profit, economic research institute. Established in 1956 and led by an independent Governing Body and its Director-General, NCAER’s goal is high-quality empirical economic research that is relevant and has policy impact. NCAER undertakes independent, grant-funded research and commissioned studies for central and state governments and industry. NCAER is among the few think tanks globally that have strong field data collection capabilities for national surveys.