Read or download the official PDF of this gazette notification issued by the Vice President's Secretariat on 18th August 2026. Classified under Press Release.
Executive Summary
On August 18, 2026, Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan addressed 34 officer trainees of the 2026 batch of the Indian Statistical Service (ISS). The address emphasized the indispensable role of accurate data in effective governance, resource allocation, and the delivery of government benefits. The Vice-President called for a data-driven approach to support the "Viksit Bharat@2047" vision and urged officers to maintain high ethical standards.
Key Points / Main Content
The Critical Role of Accurate Data
Foundational Governance: Reliable data is essential for effective planning, resource allocation, and the implementation of government schemes; incorrect data leads to incorrect decisions.
Resource Efficiency: Accurately identifying beneficiaries prevents the wastage of scarce resources.
Timeliness: Data must be gathered accurately and made available at the right time to identify appropriate solutions to national challenges.
Professional Standards for Statisticians
Core Values: Officers must uphold professional and ethical integrity, political neutrality, confidentiality, and impartiality.
Professional Conduct: Efficiency and the sincere discharge of responsibilities are prioritized over customary gestures toward seniors.
Professional Independence: Officers are urged to remain curious, rigorous, and open to innovation without compromising their professional independence.
Operational Requirements and Ground Realities
Field Experience: Statisticians must gain field experience to understand ground realities, as this is crucial for the effective implementation of programmes.
Continuous Learning: Trainees are encouraged to cultivate a habit of continuous learning from seniors, colleagues, and subordinates.
Data Maintenance: Proper maintenance and timely presentation of data are essential instruments of governance.
Economic and Social Indicators
Digital Transformation: Digital transactions and databases (such as GST data) have strengthened the statistical ecosystem and reduced the parallel economy.
Growth Measurement: Appropriate base years are necessary for economic calculations and the accurate measurement of national growth.
Holistic Metrics: Beyond economic indicators, parameters such as happiness and quality of life are vital to capturing the full picture of human well-being.
Impact Analysis
Indian Statistical Service (ISS) Officer TraineesImpact
They are identified as key drivers of a data-driven governance system responsible for ensuring that the benefits of government programmes reach eligible beneficiaries.
Action Required
Officers must gain field experience, maintain political neutrality, and approach their responsibilities with accuracy, integrity, and a commitment to continuous learning.
Government Departments and Policy MakersImpact
The success or failure of government schemes depends significantly on the quality of data provided by statisticians for decision-making.
Action Required
Departments must utilize digital databases and high-frequency economic information to refine resource allocation and national planning toward the "Viksit Bharat@2047" goal.
Key Entities Referenced
Indian Statistical Service (ISS): A specialized civil service cadre responsible for building a data-driven governance system and ensuring accurate data collection for policy implementation.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation: The central government ministry responsible for strengthening India's statistical and administrative data ecosystem.
Viksit Bharat@2047: The national vision for a developed India by 2047, which relies on 'Data for Development' and robust statistical systems for decision-making.
Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan: The Vice-President of India who emphasized the role of official statistics as instruments of governance and the importance of accurate beneficiary identification.
Vice President's Secretariat
Accurate Data Essential for Effective Governance
and Delivery of Benefits to Right Beneficiaries:
Vice-President
Visionary Leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
Has Accelerated Digital Transactions and Helped Reduce
Parallel Economy: Vice-President
Field Experience Crucial for Statisticians to Understand
Ground Realities: Vice-President
Indian Statistical Service Officers Have Crucial Role in
Building a Data-Driven Governance System: Vice-President
while addressing ISS OTs
प्रव तथ: 18 AUG 2026 7:27PM by PIB Delhi
Officer Trainees of the 2026 batch of the Indian Statistical Service today called on Vice-President Shri C.
P. Radhakrishnan at Uprashtrapati Bhavan. Interacting with the 34 young officers, including 16 women,
the Vice-President congratulated them on joining the prestigious service and said the increasing
representation of women reflects Bharat’s journey from women empowerment to women-led
development.
Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan addressed the Officer Trainees of the
2026 Batch of Indian Statistical Service (ISS) at Uprashtrapati Bhavan today. ⁰
The Vice President called upon the officer trainees to approach their
responsibilities with accuracy, integrity and a… pic.twitter.com/k8raCxRR6p
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) August 18, 2026
Emphasising the crucial role of accurate and reliable data, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan said, “If the data is
not correct, no decision can be correct.” He stressed that without reliable data, effective planning, resource
allocation and implementation of government schemes would not be possible. Scarce resources could also
be wasted if intended beneficiaries are not correctly identified. “Data must be gathered accurately and
made available at the right time,” he said, cautioning that if foundational data is incorrect, identifying
appropriate solutions to national challenges would become difficult.The Vice-President said official statistics are not merely numbers but instruments of governance that help
the State understand where the country, its people and different sections of society stand. He emphasised
that field experience, accurate data collection, proper maintenance and timely presentation of data are
essential for effective implementation of government programmes. “The success or failure of a scheme
depends significantly on the quality of data,” he said, underlining the important role of statisticians in
ensuring that the intended benefits of government programmes reach eligible beneficiaries.
Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan highlighted the strengthening of India’s statistical and administrative data
ecosystem, including digital databases, GST data and high-frequency economic information. Referring to
the transformation in digital transactions, he said the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi has contributed significantly to their expansion and helped reduce the parallel economy. He also
highlighted the importance of appropriate base years for economic calculations and accurate measurement
of the country’s real growth. At the same time, he stressed that economic indicators alone cannot capture
the complete picture of human well-being, with parameters such as happiness and quality of life also being
important.
Emphasising that “statistics derives its value from trust,” the Vice-President urged the young officers to
uphold professional and ethical integrity, political neutrality, confidentiality and impartiality. He said that
efficiency and sincere discharge of responsibilities are the true forms of respect that officials can show to
their seniors, rather than merely customary gestures. He called upon the officer trainees to cultivate a habit
of continuous learning, gain from field experience and remain open to learning from seniors, colleagues
and subordinates.
Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan urged the young officers to remain curious, rigorous and open to innovation
while never compromising on professional independence. He said “Data for Development” and data-
driven decision-making will be crucial in building a robust statistical system for Viksit Bharat@2047. He
expressed confidence that the 2026 batch would uphold the finest traditions of the Indian Statistical
Service and contribute meaningfully to a data-driven system that delivers tangible benefits to the people.
Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Dr. Saurabh Garg; Director General,
Data Governance, Shri P. R. Meshram; senior Ministry officials and the Officer Trainees were present on
the occasion.
***
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