In order to understand individual educational trajectories and the related social inequality between different groups within society, it is necessary to collect key demographic and socio-economic background information. Not only age or gender can have an influence on educational trajectories, but also factors such as social origin or migration background can be causal for the development of social inequality in the life course. 
 
For this reason, the NEPS unit "Basic Sociodemographic Information" bundles instruments for recording basic demographic and socio-economic information and ensures not only the standardisation of the instruments used across the various respondent groups within the NEPS, but also the national and international comparability of the indicators used. In addition, the recorded characteristics are constantly checked with regard to social and legal changes and supplemented if necessary.
 
An overview of the central contents can be found [here].