NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Committee’s (EAC-PM) recent criticism of international statistical agencies for “using inappropriate indicators” to “systematically underestimate India’s socioeconomic progress” comes to bite the country back, since the global agencies use data from India’s own National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO).
This is especially to the country’s chagrin at a time when it is poised to assume premier membership in the United Nations Statistics Commission (UNSC), after a gap of two decades. UNSC, which consists of 24 member countries and brings together chief statisticians from around the world, is the highest body of global statistical system.
The EAC-PM, an independent body constituted to advise the Government of India on economic and related issues, had recently gone public with its criticism of the reports of some international statistical agencies on a range of parameters pertaining to India.
The EAC said that indicators used by the international agencies for life expectancy, childhood stunting and female labour participation underplay India’s socioeconomic progress and overcast its policy interventions. The EAC had underlined flaws in the agencies’ estimates, ranging from conceptual mistakes and inappropriate benchmarks to shoddy methodology.
The council had alternatively suggested the use of ‘Make in India’ data to better reflect on India’s policy interventions on socioeconomic progress. Experts believe that EAC’s criticism of the international agencies amounts to a criticism of the Indian statistical system, as these agencies use data prepared by the NSSO.
“In this context, India’s highest advisory body raising questions on the entire statistical system of the country does not augur well,” said PC Mohanan, a former member of the NSSO. “We got there (in the UNSC) after a tough competition. Our image would be dented in the international body,” he said.
“On the bright side, remarks from the EAC may lead to the PM taking note of these criticisms and initiating reforms,” said Mohanan. “As is in all these debates, there is some truth on all sides,” said TCA Anant, chief statistician of India, “But viewing these debates from a political prism helps nobody and certainly not the statistical system.”