Is IHDS a panel survey? If so, can I link IHDS 1 files with IHDS 2 files? What is required for linking?
IHDS 1 and 2 are panel surveys. IHDS 2 reinterviewed about 83% of the IHDS 1 households plus any split households that resided in the same community. Linking information is available at both household and individual level. In order to link two rounds of data, you will require linking files which can be downloaded at this website. You will need to register in order to download these files. Please click here and you will be taken to registration, following which you will be able to download the files. These are STATA 11/12 format. If you have an older version of STATA or are using another program, you will need to use a conversion program to convert the files.
Update: ICPSR has a merged version of the two panels available at: