Autonomy of statistical agencies is important to ensure credibility of data

In the concluding part, the authors say what is lost in discrediting the NSSO report is the story of change taking place in the economy and society

Fortunately for us, successive governments have made efforts to create institutions to safeguard the integrity and objectivity of official statistics and recognised official data as “public good”. This government also notified in the Gazette the acceptance of a set of principles called the fundamental principles of official statistics that is accepted as the bedrock of an independent statistical system.

The first of the fundamental principles of official statistics notified by the government of India states that “Official statistics provide an indispensable element in the information system of a democratic society, serving the Government, the economy and the public with data