National Sample Survey Contributions and Key Lessons

Source: The post National Sample Survey Contributions and Key Lessons has been created, based on the article “Lessons from the 75-year-old National Sample Survey” published in “Live mint” on 9th January 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2- Governance-Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context: The article highlights the National Sample Survey’s (NSS) contribution to India’s policymaking since the 1950s. It discusses its successes, autonomy, global impact, a flawed 1999-2000 survey, and missed opportunities to involve states and universities in data collection.

For detailed information on National Sample Survey Organisation read this article here

What is the Significance of the NSS?

The National Sample Survey (NSS) has provided critical data for India’s development plans since the 1950s. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee praised the NSS for its dedicated and often unrecognized work in collecting valuable statistical data through detailed field surveys.

What are the Key Lessons from the NSS?

1. Importance of Public-Spirited Innovation:

• The NSS was established through collaboration with the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE).
• Its methodology inspired global practices and influenced the US Census modifications in the 1960s.

2. Need for Autonomy:

• The NSS was initially managed by researchers from ISI and became autonomous in 1970, ensuring unbiased data collection.
• However, autonomy was compromised during the controversial 1999-2000 survey, where political pressures led to a flawed survey design, as criticized by Nobel laureate Angus Deaton.

3. Challenges of a Centralized Model:

• Centralized data collection limited the usefulness of state-level data for policymaking.
• The original vision of utilizing state data to validate central data never materialized, reducing the potential for localized policy interventions.

What Could Have Been Improved?

1. Decentralized Data Collection: The centralized model of the NSS limited the use of state-level data, which was often viewed as unreliable by policymakers. Collaborating with local institutions could have enhanced the diversity and reliability of data sets.
2. Collaboration with Academic Institutions: Expanding partnerships beyond initial collaborators like the Indian Statistical Institute could have fostered a richer data ecosystem, improving survey methods and results.
3. Continuous Innovation: Following the early years, innovation slowed. Reinvigorating the initial spirit of pilot experiments and analytical studies recommended by the Rangarajan commission could have maintained the NSS’s relevance and accuracy.

Question for practice:

Examine the significance of the National Sample Survey (NSS) in shaping India’s policymaking and the lessons learned from its successes and challenges.