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The India Corruption Survey 2019 reported that 51% of respondents had paid a bribe in the previous 12 months. That was lower than the report’s figures for 2018 and higher than its figure for 2017—but it is a self-reported survey result, not proof that corruption as a whole fell across India.
What did the 2019 survey find?
Transparency International India and LocalCircles reported that 51% of respondents said they had paid a bribe in the preceding 12 months. The report states: “Over 190,000 responses were received from over 81,000 unique citizens.” Responses came from 20 states. Those totals describe survey participation; they do not, by themselves, show that respondents represented India’s population as a whole. (India Corruption Survey 2019 report)
The result is about respondents’ reported experience of paying a bribe. It is not a direct count of bribes, a measure of their total value, or an assessment of every form of corruption in the country.
How did the reported share compare with earlier years?
| Survey year | Respondents reporting a bribe in the previous 12 months |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 45% (India Corruption Survey 2019 comparison) |
| 2018 | 56% (India Corruption Survey 2019 comparison and LocalCircles release) |
| 2019 | 51% (India Corruption Survey 2019) |
On the report’s figures, the reported share was five percentage points lower in 2019 than in 2018, but six points higher than in 2017. The report and LocalCircles release give 56% for 2018; a contemporaneous Indian Express account gives 58%. The reason for that mismatch is not established, so 56% is used here as the report’s comparison figure. (LocalCircles release; Indian Express account)
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The published material does not describe a clear sampling frame, recruitment method, weighting, or sampling uncertainty. A large response count is useful context, but without those methodological details the figures should not be treated as a nationally representative estimate or a statistically established trend.
How often did respondents say they paid?
Among respondents describing their experience in the previous 12 months, 24% said they had paid bribes several times and 27% said once or twice. Those figures add up to the survey’s 51% who reported paying at least once. They describe the reported frequency categories, not the number of transactions nationwide. (India Corruption Survey 2019 report)
Which services were most often associated with bribery?
The survey’s reported categories put property registration and land issues first, followed by police services. Municipal corporations and transport offices each had the same reported share.
| Area reported | Share in the survey |
|---|---|
| Property registration and land issues | 26% |
| Police | 19% |
| Municipal corporations | 13% |
| Transport offices | 13% |
These are reported survey responses about areas where bribery was encountered, not a ranking of all government departments by verified incidence or total money involved. (India Corruption Survey 2019 report)
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWhat payment methods did respondents report?
- Cash: 35%
- Payment through an agent: 30%
- Gifts or favors: 6%
These are response categories, not shares that can be added to calculate a national total or volume of bribes. (India Corruption Survey 2019 report)
What did respondents say about government action?
Six percent said state or local authorities had taken effective steps to reduce corruption in the previous year; 48% said no steps had been taken. These figures capture respondents’ views, rather than an independent evaluation of government programs. The report’s authors suggested the reported change between 2018 and 2019 occurred without external interventions, but the survey does not establish what caused the change. (India Corruption Survey 2019 report)
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Who took part—and what does that mean for interpretation?
Participants were 64% men and 36% women. The report said 18% were from tier 3 cities and rural locations combined. These details help describe who responded, but do not resolve whether the overall sample reflects India’s population: the published material does not adequately document how participants were recruited or whether results were weighted. (India Corruption Survey 2019 report)
The report’s figures are historical findings from the 2019 survey. Its information was stated to be believed correct as of 20 November 2019; it should not be read as a current measure of corruption in India. (India Corruption Survey 2019 report)
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Is this the same as Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index?
No. The India Corruption Survey reports respondents’ experiences and views. The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is a separate measure: Transparency International says it ranks 180 countries and territories by perceived public-sector corruption, based on experts and business people. The two measures address different questions and should not be treated as interchangeable. (Transparency International’s CPI 2019 page)
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