National Statistical Commission (NSC)

About National Statistical Commission (NSC)

• National Statistical Commission (NSC) is an autonomous advisory body that serves as the nodal agency for core statistical activities in India.
• Establishment: India established the NSC in 2005 through a Resolution on the recommendations of the Rangarajan Commission.
• Parent Ministry: It functions under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• Structure and Composition:
  • Chairperson and Members: The Commission consists of a part-time Chairperson and four part-time Members with specialization and experience in statistical fields.
  • Appointment: The Chairperson and Members of the Commission are appointed with the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
  • Current Appointments: Dr. Saibal Chattopadhyay has been appointed Chairperson, while Prof. Shubhabrata Das, Shri Satyendra Bahadur Singh, and Dr. Madhavan Mukund have been appointed as Members.
  • Ex-officio Member: The CEO of NITI Aayog serves as a permanent, ex-officio Member of the Commission.
  • Secretary: The Chief Statistician of India serves as the Secretary of the Commission.
• Key Functions:
  • Policy Formulation: The NSC evolves national policies, priorities, concepts, definitions, and methodologies relating to statistics.
  • Quality Standards: The Commission lays down national quality standards and recommends measures for their effective implementation.
  • Statistical Coordination: The NSC promotes coordination among Ministries, Departments, State Governments, and Union Territory Administrations.
  • Monitoring and Audit: The Commission reviews the statistical system and undertakes statistical audits to ensure quality and integrity of statistical products.