The National Statistical Commission (NSC) is now defunct after the remaining two non-official/independent members (read: not political stooges) resigned on Monday. The reason cited was that the commission was not being taken seriously by the government. Their suggestions ignored; the reports they vetted were not published etc. There was also the controversy of tweaking the economic growth data. The NSC was established in 2006 “with a mandate to evolve policies, priorities and standards in statistical matters.”
Massaging of data for political gains has lasting effects. It is impossible to gauge where we are and where we are going if we cannot depend on the consistancy of data collection instruments and methods of calculating key variables. Whoever comes to power next, the damage is already done and is irreversible. Now with NSC a non-functioning body there is no one to raise alarm or vett methods. In addition to all the fake news and emotional arguments, now we have data coming out of government agencies that is untrustworthy created by people with zero data ethics or academic scruple.
References:
- Asit Ranjan Mishra. Two Members of National Statistical Commission Resign, Mint, January 30, 2019.
- Govt sits on post-noteban jobs report, two top statistics panel members quit, NDTV??, January 30, 2019.
devayani tirthali 