Indian Statistical Institute
Kolkata: Amid controversies over the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, the state govt has reached out to ISI asking the institute to become the ‘lead knowledge institute’ under Viksit Bharat@2047 programme.
NITI Aayog had launched State Support Mission in 2022 and the scheme connects specialist academic and research bodies with state govts to drive evidence-based governance. Later some changes were brought to the bill and a revised bill was uploaded on Nov 28.
The institute had been approached a few days back with the proposal of being the Lead Knowledge Institute (LKI) for the state, sources in the state Planning and Statistics department, said. “The proposal seems to be a step towards improving the institute’s relationship with the state,” said an administrative official at the ISI. Under the programme, the lead knowledge institution collaborates directly with govt by providing critical data analysis, research support, policy design, capacity building and implementation assistance. IIIT Bangalore was nominated as an LKI to focus on data science and policy intersections. University of Hyderabad was also appointed as the LKI for the Telangana govt to manage multi-sectoral planning. In the revised draft, the Board of Governors was made the ‘principal policy making executive body” of the institute and further specified and strengthened its powers. The bill was tabled in the Parliament last month.
ISI council is likely to hold a meeting on Monday to discuss the state govt’s proposal.