Why in NEWS

The 19th Statistics Day was observed on 29th June 2024 to commemorate the 132nd birth anniversary of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis. This year’s theme, “75 Years of National Sample Survey (NSS)”, emphasized the NSS’s foundational role in India’s statistical ecosystem. Key highlights included the launch of the GoIStat app, the Prof. C.R. Rao Award 2025 to Dr. Prajamitra Bhuyan, and the release of the SDG National Indicator Framework Progress Report, 2025.

Key Concepts

Concept	Description
National Statistics Day	Celebrated on June 29 every year since 2007 to honour PC Mahalanobis and raise awareness of statistics in policy-making.
Mahalanobis Distance	A statistical measure to find how far a data point is from a group mean in multidimensional data. Used in pattern recognition, including facial recognition.
Feldman-Mahalanobis Model	Economic model prioritising investment in heavy industries (steel, capital goods) for long-term self-reliance.
National Sample Survey (NSS)	Large-scale socio-economic surveys initiated in 1950; covers industries, prices, household consumption, and agricultural data.
GoIStat App	A mobile application launched to provide user-friendly access to official statistical data from the Government of India.
SDG Progress Report 2025	A publication tracking India’s performance on the Sustainable Development Goals using statistical indicators.
MoSPI	Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation formed in 1999; has two wings—Statistics (NSO) and Programme Implementation.
National Statistical Commission (NSC)	Oversight body ensuring quality and independence of India’s statistical system.
NSO Components	Includes Central Statistics Office (CSO) and National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).

Contributions of P.C. Mahalanobis

Contribution	Description
Indian Statistical Institute (ISI)	Founded in 1931 in Kolkata; premier institution for statistics and declared an Institute of National Importance.
Journal Sankhya	Founded in 1933; India’s first peer-reviewed statistical journal.
Planning Commission Role	Played a key advisory role in India’s Second Five-Year Plan (1956–61) promoting industrialisation through the Mahalanobis Model.
Statistical Advisor to Cabinet	As advisor, recommended and helped establish the NSS in 1950.
Institutionalising Surveys	Created scientific methodology for sample surveys that remains a global model.
Legacy in Economic Planning	Combined statistics with economic modelling to support Nehruvian vision of planned development.

In a Nutshell (Memory Code: MATH-STAT)

M – Mahalanobis Distance
A – App (GoIStat) Launch
T – Theme: 75 Years of NSS
H – Heavy Industry Model
S – SDG Progress Report
T – TPP, MPLADS under MoSPI
A – Award to Prajamitra Bhuyan
T – Trusted NSS data for policy

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

1. Consider the following statements:
   1. The Indian Statistical Institute was established by P.C. Mahalanobis in New Delhi in 1931.
   2. The Mahalanobis Model guided India’s First Five-Year Plan.
      Which of the above is/are correct?
      a) 1 only
      b) 2 only
      c) Both 1 and 2
      d) Neither 1 nor 2
      
2. Which of the following correctly describes the Mahalanobis Distance?
   a) It is the distance between Earth and a celestial body measured statistically.
   b) It is a multivariate statistical measure used to determine the similarity of a point to a distribution.
   c) It is a metric used to calculate GDP growth.
   d) It refers to the statistical error in survey reporting.
   
3. Which of the following institutions is responsible for conducting the Annual Survey of Industries in India?
   a) Indian Statistical Institute
   b) National Statistical Commission
   c) National Statistical Office
   d) NITI Aayog

Mains Practice Questions

1. Discuss the contributions of P.C. Mahalanobis in shaping India’s statistical and economic planning institutions.
2. Highlight the significance of the National Sample Survey in enabling evidence-based policymaking in India.

Prelims Answer Key and Explanation

Qn	Answer	Explanation
1	d) Neither 1 nor 2	ISI was founded in Kolkata, not Delhi; the Mahalanobis Model guided the Second, not the First, Five-Year Plan.
2	b)	Mahalanobis Distance is used to measure similarity between a point and a distribution in multivariate statistics.
3	c)	NSO, under MoSPI, is responsible for ASI and other large-scale statistical surveys in India.