National Sample Survey Office (NSSO): History, Functions & More | UPSC Notes

The National Sample Survey Office NSSO is an office responsible for conducting large scale sample surveys on an All India basis. The National Sample Survey Office NSSO was integrated with the Central Statistical Office (CSO). The NSSO and CSO now form the National Statistical Office (NSO). The nodal agency for all statistical activities at all-India level is the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Government of India On 23rd May 2019, has approved the merger of NSSO and CSO. As a result the National Sample Survey Office NSSO merged with the Central Statistical Office (CSO) to form the National Statistical Office (NSO).

All functions and responsibilities of NSSO are important for civil services and competitive exams like SSC, State civil services, etc. To understand the working and significance of NSSO in detail, Testbook prepares the best quality notes for civil service aspirants.

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What is the National Sample Survey Office NSSO?

NSSO is an office under the Ministry of Statistic and Program Implementation. The NSSO is led by the Director General. The Director General of NSSO is also the Member-Secretary of the Governing Council. The director general collects data through nation-wide household surveys on various socio-economic subjects, Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), etc. Besides, NSSO also collects data on rural and urban prices. The collected data is used for the improvement of crop statistics. NSSO is responsible for the supervision of the area and crop estimation surveys of the State agencies.

Background of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)

The Government of India set up the National Sample Survey Office, popularly known as NSSO, in 1950, to organize large-scale sample surveys in the country. These include a range of socio-economic aspects relevant for policy formulation and planning in the country. The NSSO functions under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI).

It is this felt need for reliable, impartial, and broad-based statistical data that would facilitate proper policy planning in newly independent India that the genesis of the NSSO was born. P.C. Mahalanobis was a vital figure in the Indian statistical scenario and founder of the Indian Statistical Institute. He played an instrumental role in its establishment. Initially, NSSO's focus was on estimating agricultural production, but in little time, its scope expanded to other areas like employment, expenditure, and socio-economic conditions of the people.

Objectives of National Sample Survey Office NSSO

Following is the summary of the objectives of NSSO:

• Data Collection for Policy Making: It aims at collecting reliable statistical data on different aspects of the country, based on which critical government plans and policies are formed.
• Socioeconomic Surveys: To conduct continuing socioeconomic surveys that present the features of living conditions and employment and distribution of income in the country.
• Improvement in Statistical Quality: Improve quality and credibility through methodological improvements and proper sample designs.
• Periodical Release of Data: Periodically releasing survey data to the public, academics, and policy thinkers for independent research and informed decisions.
• Capacity Building in Statistics: Building capacity and expertise in statistics through training and collaboration with other statistical bodies.

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Functions of National Sample Survey Office NSSO

The NSSO performs several key functions, which are listed below:

• Surveys: NSSO conducts a lot of large-scale and comprehensive surveys related to household expenditure, employment and unemployment, industry, and health.
• Compilation of Data and Processing: It processes and compiles data through surveys to attain accuracy and reliability.
• Publication and Dissemination: NSSO publishes reports and disseminates data to the general public and government among others.
• Statistical Quality Standards: Formulation and implementation of high-quality statistical standards and methods for the collection of data.
• Operations Wing: This wing engages in actual ground-level data collection through a network of regional offices and field staff.
• Training Programs: Training programs are organized for personnel in order to keep them updated on the latest trends and methodologies in statistics and survey sampling.

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National Sample Survey Office Surveys

The National Sample Survey Office NSSO conducts surveys and collects data on various socio-economic aspects in India. The NSSO conducts nationwide surveys to gather information on many topics. This includes employment, consumption patterns, poverty, health, education, agriculture, and other relevant areas. The collected data is used to analyze and understand the prevailing socio-economic conditions. This helps in policy formulation and decision-making.

The NSSO releases periodic reports based on the surveys conducted. The reports present key findings, trends, and analysis of the collected data. These reports provide valuable insights into the socio-economic indicators and help in understanding the challenges and opportunities in different sectors of the Indian economy.

The NSSO surveys are designed to be representative of the entire population. They use random sampling techniques to ensure statistical accuracy. The collected data is kept confidential and is used for statistical purposes only.

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Merger of CSO and NSSO into NSO (National Statistical Office)

The merger of CSO and NSSO is supposed to be a dent on the autonomy of the Indian statistical system. It will also impact the autonomy of NSSO. The order implies that NSC’s independent oversight mechanism will no longer be used for statistical analysis. The merger of two bodies promotes the access of NSSO for official use by the MoSPI and the NITI Aayog. The government agencies such as the NITI Aayog can access the information system with ease.

The National Statistical Commission (NSC) was proposed by resolution of 2005 along with the National Statistical Organisation (NSO). There is no mention of NSC in the order of merger. This reinforces that the government is undermining the National Statistical Commission(NSC).

The 2005 resolution proposed setting up of the National Statistical Commission (NSC) and National Statistical Organisation(NSO). The National Statistical Organisation was said to be an executive wing for statistics. It is expected to act according to the policies and priorities as laid down by the NSC. The 2005 Resolution proposed NSO will work with two wings, CSO and NSSO. On other hand, the 2019 order states that the CSO and NSSO to be merged into NSO.

Central Statistics Office (CSO) The Central Statistics Organisation of India is abbreviated as CSO. CSO is an office coordinating the statistical activities in India. Besides, it is also responsible for evolving and maintaining statistical standards. The headquarter of CSO is located in Delhi.

Responsibilities of NSO

The National Statistical Office, to be constituted by merging the Central Statistics Office with the NSSO, will have some of the major responsibilities as under, not exclusive of other tasks:

• Coordination of Statistical Activities: NSO coordinates all statistical activities across various governmental departments to ensure consistency and adherence to national and international standards.
• Economic Surveys and Index Preparation: It undertakes critical economic surveys, prepares the IIP, and compiles the CPI and WPI.
• National Accounts: NSO prepares the national accounts consisting of estimation of GDP and other related economic indicators.
• Annual Survey of Industries (ASI): It carries out the work of ASI for collecting comprehensive data on the industrial sector.
• Data Dissemination: Ensures wide dissemination to the public, researchers, and policy makers through publications, press releases, and digital databases.
• International Cooperation: This involves international cooperation in order to share best practices, methodologies, participation in global statistical initiatives.
• Statistics Development and Research: It undertakes research and development projects in order to improve survey techniques, sample designs, and statistical methodologies.

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In this article, we understand the functioning of the NSSO and the consequences of the merger of CSO and NSSO. Testbook provides a set of comprehensive notes for different competitive exams. Testbook is always on the top of the list because of its best quality assured product like live tests, mocks, Content pages, GK and current affairs videos and much more. To study more topics from Indian Economy for UPSC, download the Testbook App now!