NEW DELHI: The central govt has released a draft bill which aims to strengthen the Indian Statistical Institute by putting in place a revamped governance structure, making the board a leaner and more empowered body for policy, administrative and financial matters.As the institute approaches its centenary in 2031, the vision is to make it not only one of the best in country but one of the foremost institutes in the world. An official statement said the proposed draft bill is founded upon guiding principles of ‘Excellence: promoting academic rigour, global competitiveness, and innovation’.The draft bill also aims to establish clear institutional structures, streamline decision-making, uphold integrity in leadership and administration, and grant the institute greater decision-making powers in its day-today functioning and planning. The draft bill also aims to ensure transparency, oversight, and responsiveness to stakeholders, according to the statement released by statistics ministry.“The proposed reforms are aimed at unlocking the institute’s full potential in 21st century. By aligning it with legal and governance framework of other institutions of national importance, govt intends to strengthen its capacity to deliver world-class education, research, and policy support,” read the statement released by the ministry.Ministry of statistics and programme implementation has released the draft bill for public consultation and sought comments and suggestions from all stakeholders and the public as part of the pre-legislative consultation process.Over the years, four review committees have examined the functioning of the institute. The most recent, chaired by R A Mashelkar in 2020, recommended major reforms to strengthen governance, expand academic programmes, and make the institute globally competitive.
