India Joins UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics

By R Anil Kumar

Overview:

Recently, India has joined the UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UN-CEBD).

New York, January 15.  In a significant milestone, India has joined the prestigious UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics. The UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UN-CEBD) was created to further investigate the benefits and challenges of Big Data, including the potential for monitoring and reporting on the sustainable development goals.

The inclusion in this expert committee comes at a pivotal time, as India recently assumed membership of the United Nations Statistical Council after a significant gap. India’s inclusion in the Committee of Experts represents a significant leap forward for the country’s statistical ecosystem. As part of the committee, India will contribute to shaping global standards and practices in harnessing big data and data science for official statistical purposes. This milestone underscores India’s growing stature in the global statistical community and highlights its commitment to leveraging data and technology for informed decision-making.

India’s active engagement in the Committee of Experts will highlight its pioneering initiatives, including the establishment of the Data Innovation Lab and exploration of alternate data sources such as satellite imagery and machine learning for policy making. The opportunity to contribute at this global forum positions India as major player in this area. Membership in the Committee of Experts is a strategic opportunity for India to align its domestic advancements in big data and data science with international goals, showcasing the country’s capability to lead transformative initiatives in the data domain.Big data and advanced data science techniques have the potential to revolutionize the production and dissemination of official statistics. By integrating non-traditional data sources such as IoT, satellite imagery, and private sector data streams, India aims to modernize its statistical processes, enhance the accuracy of estimates, and enable the timely availability of critical data for policy formulation and governance.

This engagement will also complement India’s ongoing efforts to:

Streamline Statistical Production: Drive innovation in data collection, processing, and analysis to reduce the time lag in data availability.

Improve Decision-Making: Provide policymakers with real-time insights for evidence-based decisions, addressing key socio-economic challenges.

Foster International Collaboration: Share India’s expertise while learning from global best practices to create robust, future-ready statistical frameworks.

India’s joining the Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics is a step toward revolutionizing statistical production and dissemination, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and data-informed world. This recognition will strengthen India’s ability to influence global statistical practices, reinforcing its commitment to data-driven progress and sustainable development.

About UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science Official Statistics:

It was created in 2014 with Australia as its first Chair.

It was created to further investigate the benefits and challenges of Big Data, including the potential for monitoring and reporting on sustainable development goals.

Governance

Advisory Board: It is the management body of the UN-CEBD. It is scheduled to meet about 4 times per year to review the work of the UN-CEBD and give strategic direction.

UN Bureau: The Bureau takes care of the ongoing operations of the UN-CEBD

Mandate

To provide a strategic vision, direction and coordination for a global programme on big data for official statistics, including for indicators of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

To promote practical use of big data sources, including cross-border data, while building on existing precedents and finding solutions for the many existing challenges,

To also promote capacity-building, training and sharing of experience;

To foster communication and advocacy of the use of big data for policy applications, especially for the monitoring of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

To build public trust in the use of big data for official statistics.

Primary function of the UN statistical Commission

It is the highest decision-making body for international statistical activities, responsible for setting of statistical standards and the development of concepts and methods, including their implementation at the national and international level.