Once a globally renowned institution, India’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) today faces the gravest credibility crisis in its history. It was bad enough that serious infirmities had been pointed out in other aspects of the revised calculation exercise. It must also release the MCA-21 database in its raw form so that others can analyse those numbers. A statistical audit of our GDP numbers by experts who are not involved in the original process would go a long way toward quelling doubts. Without such openness, India’s official statistics will remain under a cloud, which would do the country no good.

Source: Mint May 08, 2019 17:37 UTC