Standing Committee on Statistics

Overview

Government forms new panel to review all NSO data.

Standing Committee on Statistics replaces the existing committee, which examined economic datasets only; revamp comes after sharp critiques of India’s statistical machinery; new panel to advise government on surveys, identify and plug data gaps.

This will be chaired by former Chief Statistician and former Chairman of the National Statistical Commission Dr Pronab Sen
He was also the head of the earlier SCES
Announced by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

Background

Data quality of surveys were questioned earlier
Estimates related to poverty, growth, employment, and unemployment should be conducted at regular intervals in a predetermined timely manner and should be of the highest quality.
All major surveys in India that were conducted post-2011 Census.
sample frame greatly overstated the percentage of the rural population

The committee’s mandate is to review the existing framework and address the issues raised from time to time on the
Image by Colin Behrens from Pixabay

subject/results/methodology, etc. related to all surveys as presented to the SCoS by MoSPI.
To advise on survey methodology including sampling frame, sampling design, survey instruments, etc.
To finalise tabulation plan of surveys; finalisation of survey results.
The committee’s job is to plan all efforts for data generation and gathering.
To ensure that all data gathered for MoSPI complies with the rules of good statistics.
To give instructions on how to conduct pilot surveys or pre-testing, if necessary, before deciding on data collecting schedules.
Also provide guidance for studying and exploring the availability of administrative statistics.
The committee can also provide technical guidance to the central and state-level agencies for the surveys.

About Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS)

Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS) that will replace the SCES
It will have 10 official members.
Members from various ministries and departments and four non-official members who are eminent academics in the field of statistics.
Additionally, depending on the situation, it may co-opt up to two extra members.

The Standing Committee on Economic data (SCES) was established in 2019.
Aim:
- To examine and unify the ideas, definitions, classifications, and methodology of various economic data published by several ministries and agencies.
It was presided over by the Chief Statistician of India (CSI)
Its 27 members represented a range of academic institutions, departments, and ministries.
The COVID-19 epidemic and other challenges prevented the SCES from submitting its report by the deadline of June 2020.

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