Around 108 economists and social scientists have issued a collective statement against the political interference on statistical institutions in India and the requirement of ensuring their integrity and independence.
The New Leam Staff
Several social scientists have come out in the open to give voice t0 their concerns about how statistical data of the nation was being interfered with. They alleged that the nation-state was allegedly influencing that was coming in the public platforms and came together in a large number to restore the integrity of statistical information that goes out into the public. There was a call towards the restoration of the independence of statistical data.
The joint statement issued by 108 economists and social scientists comes in the context of the recent withholding of the employment data by the NSSO. The main purpose of their coming together was the criticism of the recent withholding of information that matters to the public, raise their voice against the suppressing of uncomforting data and build pressure on the government to restore access and establish the independence that characterised institutions in the nation.
They also highlighted the fact that institutions in India which had been known to produce statistical information on a wide array of themes had been respected for their integrity but it seemed to be played with in recent times. They asserted that the statistical machinery was often criticized for the quality of the estimations but never before was the need to protest against the influencing of the statistical information felt so significantly.
Some of the significant signatories to the appeal include academics from University of Massachusetts, Harvard University, University of British Columbia, TISS and JNU. The key issue that was being asserted by these economists and social scientists was the fact that institutions in India that are responsible for producing statistical data such as NSSO and CSO should not be subject to interference and their credibility should remain intact all the time.
