The National Sample Survey Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), launched ‘GoIStats’ mobile application on Statistics Day 2025. 

Statistics Day in India

• Globally, the United Nations Statistical Commission celebrates World Statistics Day on October 20.

• In recognition of the notable contributions made by Prof. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the field of economic planning and statistical development, the Indian government has designated June 29 every year, coinciding with his birth anniversary, as Statistics Day. 

• The primary objective of celebrating this day is to raise public awareness, particularly among the younger generation, about the pivotal role of statistics in policy formulation for national development.

• This year’s theme is ‘75 Years of National Sample Survey’, highlighting the enduring legacy and impact of the National Sample Survey in strengthening the statistical system of the country.

National Sample Survey

• In 1950, P.C. Mahalanobis established the National Sample Survey with the objective of providing comprehensive statistics relating to all economic and social aspects on an all-India basis.

• The National Sample Survey headed by a Director General is responsible for conduct of large scale sample surveys in diverse fields across the country. 

• Primarily, data are collected through nationwide household surveys on various socio-economic subjects, Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), etc. 

• Besides these surveys, NSS collects data on rural and urban prices and plays a significant role in the improvement of crop statistics through supervision of the area enumeration and crop estimation surveys of state agencies.

• It also maintains a frame of urban area units for use in sample surveys in urban areas. 

Significance of GoIStats app:

• This initiative is a significant milestone in India's commitment to making official statistics accessible and user-centric for all citizens.

• The GoIStats app represents NSO’s vision of creating an all-encompassing data ecosystem where every stakeholder can seamlessly access official data on the go.

• The application features an interactive ‘Key Trends’ dashboard showcasing important socio-economic indicators with dynamic visualisations of critical metrics including GDP, inflation, employment data. 

• Users gain direct access to NSO’s database through the ‘Products’ section, featuring one-click Comma Separated Values (CSV) downloads. 

• Advanced filtering and search capabilities with comprehensive metadata, and mobile-optimised data tables are also available for seamless viewing.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)