Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS)

Context: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has replaced the Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES) with a Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS). Background:

• About SCES: The SCES was formed in late 2019 to examine economic indicators related to the industrial sector, services sector, and labor force statistics.
• Limited Purview: The SCES had a restricted scope and focused on datasets like the Periodic Labour Force Survey(PLFS), Annual Survey of Industries(ASI), Index of Industrial Production(IIP), and Economic Census.
• Non-performance: ‘Data quality issues‘ were cited as the reason why the most recent round of household surveys on consumption expenditure and employment  were withdrawn.
• Broader Mandate of SCoS: To overcome the limitations, the SCoS was established with a wider mandate.
  • It is responsible for reviewing all surveys conducted under the National Statistical Office (NSO).

About Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS):

• Mandate: 
  • Reviewing All Surveys: The SCoS is tasked with reviewing the framework and results of all surveys conducted under the National Statistical Office (NSO).
  • Data Gap Identification: The SCoS is responsible for identifying data gaps in official statistics. It will pinpoint areas where data is lacking and devise strategies to address these gaps.
  • Exploring Administrative Statistics: The committee is mandated to explore the use of administrative statistics to improve data outcomes.
  • Technical Advisory Role: The SCoS will provide technical advice to the Ministry on various aspects of surveys, including sampling frame, design, survey methodology, and finalization of results.

Comparison between SCES and SCoS:

Aspect	SCES	SCoS
Members	28 members (including 10 non-official members)	10 official members, 4 non-official members (eminent academics) The number of members can be up to 16.
Chairperson	Pronab Sen	Pronab Sen
Mandate	Review economic indicators for specific sectors	Review all surveys conducted under the National Statistical Office (NSO)
Purview	Limited to datasets of specific economic indicators (e.g., Periodic Labour Force Survey, Annual Survey of Industries)	Broader mandate with enhanced terms of reference to ensure more coverage

 

Additional Information: About NSO: Under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the National Statistical Office (NSO) was formed through the merger of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and the Central Statistical Office (CSO).

 News Source: The Hindu