Latest news with #StatisticsDay
Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Need to address statistical issues in entrance, recruitment exams: NSC Chairman to government
The government has been called on to form a comprehensive policy on certain statistical issues related to entrance and recruitment exams by Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, Chairman of the National Statistical Commission (NSC), who argued on Sunday that different agencies conducting their own exams have their own methods that can lead to dissatisfaction among candidates and legal proceedings. Speaking at the 19th Statistics Day organised by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Karandikar said statistical issues such as negative marking and normalisation of marks in examinations that are being conducted online and see lakhs of candidates should be addressed 'appropriately'. 'The fact that when such a large number (of candidates) appear (for exams), we don't have computer systems which simultaneously 27 lakh candidates can write,' Karandikar said, referring to an earlier recruitment exam held by the railways. 'So we have parallel exams, or exams in phases, different question papers. Then the question comes: how do we compare them? This is a strictly statistical question.' 'Somehow, each agency goes on its own way to define the policy: there is a question of negative marking, normalisation. And each agency declares its own formula which is different. That leads to dissatisfaction, especially from the candidates that don't make it, some of them making it to the court system,' the NSC Chairman added. In 2019, Karandikar was part of an expert committee constituted by the Supreme Court to suggest ways to deal with fraud in online examinations. The committee – led by retired Supreme Court justice GS Singhvi – was formed after the alleged leak of the Staff Selection Commission's Combined Graduate Level 2017 question papers, which led to massive protests. On Sunday, Karandikar said the expert committee had written a report just before COVID 'and perhaps that report is lying somewhere'. 'The point is that normalisation and negative marking, both are statistical questions. And perhaps – which body in government, I don't know, because there are multiple stakeholders – comprehensive effort should be made to create one group which gives thought to all this, brings in all the stakeholders, and comes out with one policy,' Karandikar added. 'Precision policymaking' Moderating a panel discussion at the Statistics Day event – held to commemorate the birth anniversary of famed statistician PC Mahalanobis – Shamika Ravi, member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said India was moving into an era of 'precision policymaking'. According to Ravi, given the size of the country, indicators such as the infant mortality rate and even the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) don't mean much at an all-India level, although such measures are needed for comparisons. 'But the reality is, policymaking largely depends on highly localised estimates, which is the effort we are now doing. We are moving towards district-level estimates because a lot of policymaking requires local, unbiased, as precise or as close to the truth – that's what an unbiased estimate is… We are moving into the realm of what is called precision policymaking. And precision policymaking, then and therefore, requires data which is representative at the local level, whatever local we define. We have now moved beyond aspirational districts to aspirational blocks,' Ravi said. Also speaking at the same event, MoSPI Secretary Saurabh Garg said it was essential the statistics ministry produces data which is 'machine readable' given the advent of artificial intelligence and machine learning and follows basic standards and norms so that data can be more effectively used for decision making. Towards this, the ministry is looking at data and statistics at a much broader level, Garg said, with a focus on ensuring that the data produced by different departments and ministries within the government – or administrative data – is focused and usable. Siddharth Upasani is a Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express. He reports primarily on data and the economy, looking for trends and changes in the former which paint a picture of the latter. Before The Indian Express, he worked at Moneycontrol and financial newswire Informist (previously called Cogencis). Outside of work, sports, fantasy football, and graphic novels keep him busy. ... Read More
Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kolkata's Indian Statistical Institute marks Mahalanobis's birth anniversary, celebrates 75 years of NSS
By Shambhavi Pandey The Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, commemorated the 132nd birth anniversary of its founder, Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, on Sunday. Observed nationally as Statistics Day and internally as Workers' Day, the celebration this year focused on '75 Years of the National Sample Survey,' one of Mahalanobis's most enduring contributions to India's statistical infrastructure. The ceremony opened with faculty, students and guests garlanding Mahalanobis's bust and planting a sapling on the Amrapali Lawn. Dr. Paramita Das, recalling the early resistance Mahalanobis faced in establishing statistics as a discipline, quoted Sir Ronald Fisher and highlighted current infrastructural constraints at ISI. In her address, Director Professor Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay called for honest self-assessment and urged the community to recognise ISI's global impact in data science. Dean of Studies Dr. Biswabrata Pradhan emphasised the need to close funding gaps and expand international collaborations to strengthen the Institute's world standing. Chief guest Professor Shrikrishna Gopalrao Dani, a Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar laureate, lauded Mahalanobis's visionary planning work, likening him to the divine architect Vishwakarma. He also praised ISI's willingness to confront its challenges openly. Former faculty member Professor Manoranjan Pal offered personal recollections of Mahalanobis's mentorship and institutional leadership, underscoring his dual legacy as scholar and builder. Cultural performances by ISI club members followed, and the gathering concluded with a collective rendition of the national anthem. Speakers agreed that preserving Mahalanobis's spirit of scientific service, equity and national progress must guide the Institute's path forward. (Shambhavi Pandey is an intern at the Kolkata office of The Indian Express)
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
64.3% of population under social security net, up from 22% in 2016: Govt report
NEW DELHI: The population covered by social protection systems has increased from 22% in 2016 to 64.3% in 2025, indicating substantial expansion in social security coverage in the country, data released by the statistics ministry showed on Sunday. 'Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - National Indicator Framework Progress Report, 2025' provides data-driven evidence of India's progress toward SDGs and their associated targets. It is expected to assist policymakers in identifying key areas that need focused interventions and was released to mark Statistics Day. The report also showed that the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions has declined sharply from 24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-21. SDG (No Poverty) seeks to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions worldwide. At the global level, this goal has seven targets to measure the progress of nations in eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions everywhere. It said 13 indicators have been identified at the national level to measure and monitor the progress of these targets and data for all the indicators were available in the report. The indicators include population covered by social protection, senior citizens provided institutional assistance and access to basic services. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo The target is by 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day, and the data snapshot showed that the "national indicator is under development". Recent World Bank data stated that extreme poverty rate in India had declined from 27.1% in 2011-12 to 5.3% in 2022-23. The number of people living in extreme poverty also fell sharply during this period from 344.47 million in 2011-12 to 75.24 million in 2022-23. This would mean that nearly 269 million were lifted out of extreme poverty during this period. World Bank had said the international poverty line for low income countries has been raised to $3 per person per day from the existing $2.15 and for lower middle-income countries it was changed from $3.65 to $4.20 per day. The report cited latest household consumption expenditure data to show that there was a "clear move toward more equal spending and reduced income inequality" in urban and rural areas. It showed that the percentage of population using an improved drinking water source in rural areas has increased from 94.57% in 2015-16 to 99.62% in 2024-25, indicating significant progress towards universal safe water access in rural India. Among other data, it showed that the gross value added in agriculture per worker (in Rs) has increased from 61,247 in 2015-16 to 94,110 in 2024-25, indicating improved agricultural productivity and income per worker in the country. The total number of internet subscriptions (in millions) has increased from 302.36 in 2015 to 954.40 in 2024, showing a sharp rise in digital connectivity. The number of startups recognised under 'Startup India' increased from 453 in 2016 to 34,293 in 2024, showing strong growth in entrepreneurship. The SDG report serves as a vital resource for policymakers, enabling the identification of areas that require intensified and focused interventions. It showed "notable progress" has been made in several sectors, "significant challenges" continue to persist in others. United Nations General Assembly, in Sept 2015, adopted the document titled 'Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development'. It outlines 17 SDGs and 169 associated targets. SDG came into force from Jan 1, 2016.
India Gazette
21 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Statistics Day celebrated to commemorate birth anniversary of Prof PC Mahalanobis
New Delhi [India], June 29 (ANI): In recognition of the remarkable contributions made by Professor (Late) Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis to the field of statistics and economic planning, the Government has designated his birth day, June 29, as Statistics Day. The primary objective of celebrating this Day is to raise public awareness, particularly among the younger generation, about the pivotal role of statistics in policy formulation for national development, the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation said in a release on Sunday. As per the release, the celebration for the 19th Statistics Day was held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on Sunday. The theme for 19th Statistics Day was '75 Years of National Sample Survey', highlighting the enduring legacy and impact of the National Sample Survey in strengthening the statistical system of the country. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Rao Inderjit Singh, the Chief Guest of the event, in his address, paid tribute to Prof Mahalanobis and highlighted the significance of the dual milestone; the celebration of Statistics Day and the 75th year of the National Sample Survey (NSS). He spoke about the transformation of the statistical system through the use of technological tools for real-time data monitoring. He emphasised the need for methodological reforms such as updated sampling techniques, integrated survey frameworks, and harmonisation with international standards. He expressed the commitment of the ministry for inclusive engagement through consultations and capacity-building initiatives with State Governments. Union Minister lauded MoSPI's transparent and inclusive approach and urged the statistical community to support the national vision of a transparent and ever-improving National Statistical Office. He concluded by appreciating the dedication of statisticians and field functionaries of the ministry, as per the release. Delivering the welcome address, Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI, reflected on the NSS's remarkable journey and its evolution into one of the world's most robust and trusted statistical systems. Dr Garg highlighted the various reforms undertaken during this journey, which started in 1950. Time reduction in publication of survey results and availability of data at more granular level with higher frequency, digital transformation undertaken in various work sphere from data collection through CAPI to its Dissemination through eSankhyiki portal having more than 135 million records, a dedicated data visualisation section on the website for demystifying the complex data, mainstreaming of alternative data sources including administrative statistics in the official statistics system were some of the reform initiatives. Dr. Garg emphasised in his welcome speech. He also mentioned that MoSPI's focus on data dissemination through technology has changed the paradigm of data-driven policymaking en route to Viksit Bharat. Dr Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, Chairman of the National Statistical Commission (NSC), in his address, mentioned the history of the Indian Statistical system and the valued contributions of Dr PC Mahalanobis to its development. He congratulated MoSPI for their efforts in modernising the Statistical system and thereby supporting data and evidence-based policy making. He underscored that statistical agencies can greatly contribute to other areas of governance, such as creating a uniform methodology for normalising scores in various online competitive exams and validating online voting. Such an initiative will create public trust in the government and will facilitate smooth governance. Approximately 700 participants, including Senior officers from central ministries and Departments, State and UT Governments, representatives from international organisations such as UN agencies, and other key stakeholders, attended the event. The event also featured a documentary on the ministry's activities, the release added. (ANI)
India Gazette
21 hours ago
- Business
- India Gazette
MoSPI launches GoIStats mobile app for on-the-go access to official statistical data
New Delhi [India], June 29 (ANI): The National Sample Survey Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), launched the GoIStats mobile application on Statistics Day 2025. This initiative is a significant milestone in India's commitment to making official statistics accessible and user-centric for all citizens, the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation said in a release on Sunday. According to the release, the GoIStats mobile application embodies the NSO's vision of creating an all-encompassing data ecosystem where every stakeholder can access official data seamlessly on the go. The application features an interactive 'Key Trends' dashboard showcasing important socio-economic indicators with dynamic visualisations of critical metrics, including GDP, inflation, and employment data. Users gain direct access to NSO's database through the 'Products' section, featuring one-click CSV downloads. Advanced filtering and search capabilities, along with comprehensive metadata and mobile-optimised data tables, are also available for seamless viewing. The app's visual data storytelling capabilities include a curated infographics section that transforms complex statistics into digestible insights, interactive charts and graphs with contextual explanations, social sharing features to promote data literacy across communities, and complete source attribution for each visualisation following principles of transparency and trust. A comprehensive publication section provides users with access to NSO reports and publications with instant download functionality. Regular updates, aligned with the NSO's publication calendar, are provided to the user through an app notification facility. A feedback mechanism for continuous app improvement, a user-friendly interface, and direct communication channels through the 'Contact Us' section are some of the features designed to empower users. The Android version of the mobile application is currently available for free on the Google Play Store. The iOS version will be released shortly. This initiative completes the ideal digital bouquet of website, portal and mobile app expected from a data-producing organisation. GoIStats empowers every Indian to engage meaningfully with government data, thereby strengthening citizen participation in building a vibrant India. (ANI)
