More Stories

Informist, Wednesday, Mar. 26, 2025

 

NEW DELHI – The statistics ministry has set up a Standing Committee on Information Technology with internal and external experts to "give recommendations on IT-related matters", Minister of State Rao Inderjit Singh told Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The minister was responding to a question on whether the ministry has set up a task force of data scientists and tech experts to bring the national statistical system on par with global standards. Singh did not provide further details on the committee's terms of reference.

The ministry is making artificial intelligence-based applications "for facilitating data collection and analysis. The AI-based tools are designed to assist stakeholders in accessing data/information in quick and efficient manner," Singh said.

 

Informist had in February reported that the statistics ministry is working to integrate its surveys for data collection with chatbots enabled by artificial intelligence. On Tuesday, speaking at a workshop on 'Emerging Trends in Public Data and Technology for Research and Policy' at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Statistics Secretary Saurabh Garg said legacy data must be rejuvenated using emerging technologies to make it artificial intelligence-ready.

 

"The vast volume of administrative data in India presents a unique opportunity to integrate it with alternate datasets to meet the increasing expectations of data users," Garg had said. The statistics ministry and IIM-Ahemdabad have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will serve as a framework for collaborative efforts in data innovation, ensuring that academic research contributes effectively to policy development. Under Garg, the statistics ministry has looked to expand the sources of data it looks at, including administrative sources of data and alternative ones, with the secretary admitting earlier this month that their integration with government survey data is a big challenge.  End

 

Reported by Siddharth Upasani

Edited by Saji George Titus

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2025. All rights reserved.