The Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata opened a two-day conclave on official statistics on November 3, bringing academic researchers and government specialists together to examine the data used in public policy.
The meeting is organised by ISI's Sampling and Official Statistics Unit at the Platinum Jubilee Auditorium. Its official programme runs through November 4.
S. Mahendra Dev, chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, delivered the inaugural address. PTI reported that he stressed the importance of sound methods and public trust as the sources, frequency and technology behind official statistics change.
The first day's agenda covered theoretical and empirical questions. The published schedule for November 4 includes issues in Indian official statistics and a panel on how official-data analysis can serve policy needs.
The organisers also list a poster session showcasing state-level experience with evidence-based policymaking. The wider aim is to give researchers, statisticians and policymakers a forum to compare practical challenges in collecting, validating and using government data.
Archive view of the Indian Statistical Institute campus in Kolkata, photographed in 2006. This is not the November 2026 conclave. Photo: ISI University campus, Kolkata, India by Tilemahos Efthimiadis, CC BY-SA 2.0.
