The IRS is a study of the print media readership published by the Readership Studies Council of India (RSCI), an industry body jointly formed by the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC). The latest IRS 2017 report covers a full year sample size of 3.2 lakh households. It has been conducted after a gap of around four years.

“Delighted to see the IRS set global benchmarks in sample size, design and tight monitoring. Very encouraged to see that the survey reinforces what we've always believed in. The magazines are far more relevant now than in the preceding years and the age of the discerning media consumer has returned. To have India Today as the most read magazine is very satisfying. To top it, India Today Hindi is a close 2nd to its sibling India Today English, and Business Today continues to be undisputed number one adds to the motivation of the team at India Today Group,” said Aroon Purie, Chairman and Editor in Chief, India Today Group.

While, India Today topped both English and Hindi language categories, the second English magazine by a wide margin was General Knowledge Today.

The Sportstar is the third largest read English weekly followed by Diamond Cricket Today at No 4. Fortnightly magazine Filmfare is at No 5. Pratiyogita Darpan English and Outlook English were at No 6 and No 7 English magazines, respectively.

Competition Success Review was at No 8 followed by Readers Digest at No 9. Business Today was at No 10, becoming the largest read English business magazine.

Among the Hindi periodicals, India Today Hindi has overtaken Pratiyogita Darpan to become the largest read Hindi daily, according to total readership numbers released for IRS 2017. Samanyagyan Darpan also rose to No 2 position pushing Pratiyogita Darpan to No 3.

Meri Saheli was the fourth largest read Hindi magazine, followed by Saras Salil and Bal Bhaskar at No 5 and No 6, respectively.

Champak, Sarita, Cricket Samrat and Dimond Cricket Today were among top-10 Hindi dailies in the latest readership survey.

Top 10 English periodicals	Top 10 Hindi periodicals
India Today (English): 7992	India Today (Hindi): 7159
General Knowledge Today: 3493	Samanya Gyan Darpan: 6882
The Sportstar: 2937	Pratiyogita Darpan (Hindi): 5924
Diamond Cricket Today (English): 2549	Meri Saheli: 4623
Filmfare (Fortnightly): 2333	Saras Salil: 4318
Pratiyogita Darpan (English): 1820	Bal Bhaskar: 3598
Outlook English: 1517	Champak: 3336
Competition Success Review: 1477	Sarita: 2958
Readers Digest: 1354	Cricket Samrat: 2920
Business Today: 1315	Diamond Cricket Today: 2809