Relevance : GS Paper III
Theme of the Article
The merger of the NSSO into the Central Statistics Office is a cause for concern.
Why has this cropped up?
The government has decided to merge the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) into and under the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Reason for the Merger
Recent attempts to question the veracity of National Sample Survey (NSS) data and the way the issue has been handled have given rise to apprehensions within academia, State governments and the media about the prospect of radical changes in the present system for deciding substantive issues of scope, design, scrutiny and validation of the surveys.
The present System
- Under the present system, every year various departments of government send a list of subjects that they would like to be investigated by the NSSO.
- The requests are sent to the National Statistical Commission (NSC), which has respected economists, subject matter specialists and statisticians from government.
- The proposals are discussed at length keeping in view the budget allocations, availability of trained field staff and supervisors. In doing so, the conduct of periodic surveys on important issues is also considered.
- After providing for periodic repeat surveys of some important aspects, the subjects to be covered in a particular year and the scope of the inquiry are decided.
- Once the field work is over, the groups decide the detailed tabulation programme, and the tables to be prepared for publication. The tabulated results are discussed in detail by the NSC and are published after its approval.
Importance of Data
They have been used extensively for monitoring of trends and critical assessment of several important aspects of the economy and society, such as poverty and inequality, consumption patterns, employment, household savings and investment, and health-seeking behaviour.
Is apprehension about NSSO justified?
- The NSSO surveys command wide respect among academics, State governments and non-governmental organisations as the most reliable and comparable basis for discussions in the public, policy and even political arenas. This is based on their well-earned reputation for professionalism, independence and integrity.
- Widespread apprehensions that the proposed absorption of NSSO into the CSO could compromise the surveys by subjecting their review and publication to government approval must therefore be allayed promptly in an unqualified manner.
- The existing institutional arrangement in which the NSC, as a professional body independent of government, has not only functioned smoothly but also commands confidence and respect both within the country and abroad must be maintained.
- Any attempt or even a suggestion that its substantive work, publication and free dissemination of data are subject to the department’s approval will hugely dent the credibility of the Indian statistical system.
The problems with NSSO
- The NSSO doesn’t have adequate budgetary allocations;
- there is an acute shortage of trained field staff;
- the scale of surveys is un-manageably large mainly.
Solutions
- The solutions call for action by the institutions responsible for gathering data by investing in continuing research on improving sampling design, field survey methods and validation of data. Correcting these deficiencies is entirely in the domain of government.
- But there are also serious difficulties inherent in trying to get reliable and complete information through the interview method. Most respondents do not maintain any records or accounts of their transactions.
- Since most respondents rely on recall, it is unrealistic to expect them to provide reliable information on the scope and detail sought by questionnaires.
- Memory lapses and respondent fatigue lead to high incidence of non-response, indifferent response and biased response. These problems are particularly serious among the more affluent and better-educated sections of respondents.
Conclusion
Increasing the role of CSO officials in running the NSSO will not solve these problems, but they can help by providing funds for specialised research on survey design and methodology. The necessity and importance of such research calls for far greater attention and resources than they receive at present.
