Lok Sabha Question No. 4358 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Draft Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2025
Ministry: STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4358 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026

## DRAFT INDIAN STATISTICAL INSTITUTE BILL, 2025

## 4358. DR. D RAVI KUMAR:

Will the Minister of STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the Draft Indian Statistical Institute  Bill,  2025,  circulated  for  public  comments  in  2024-25,  has raised  serious  concerns  among  Members  of  Parliament,  faculty associations alumni and statistical experts regarding the repeal of the ISI Act, 1959 and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the rationale for proposing major changes in governance, composition of the Council, and administrative control of an Institution of National Importance without prior consultation with ISI's statutory bodies, academic staff and stakeholders;
- (c) whether the Government has assessed the potential impact of the draft provisions on ISI's academic autonomy, research independence and public-interest mandate in national data systems and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to review, amend or withdraw the Draft Bill and undertake wider, transparent consultations before introducing any revised legislation in Parliament and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS  AND  PROGRAMME  IMPLEMENTATION;  MINISTER  OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE [RAO INDERJIT SINGH]

- (a) to (c) As  per  the  pre-legislative  consultation  policy,  the  public/ stakeholder consultation on the draft Indian Statistical Institute (ISI)

Bill, 2025 was done during the period from 25.09.2025 to 03.11.2025. In  response,  comments  were  received  from  diverse  stakeholders including Members of Parliament, current and former faculty members,  employees,  students  and  alumni  of  ISI,  members  of  the General  Body  of  ISI  Society,  members  of  ISI  Council,  and  the  ISI Workers  Organisation  (ISIWO).  After  receipt  of  these  comments,  a revised draft of Bill was placed in public domain for second round of pre-legislative consultations during 28.11.2025 till 05.01.2026. In light of continued pre-legislative consultation, further revisions were made in the revised draft Bill. Furthermore ,  a  press  release  was  issued  on  24.12.2025  whereby Frequently Asked Questions-Answers on revised draft Bill were placed in  public  domain  to  extend  clarity  on  the  proposed  legislation. (available  at  https://www.mospi.gov.in/uploads/announcements/anno uncements\_1766569183756\_57ee3fdd-d5ef-4067-a779-15028689a6ac \_FAQs\_on\_draft\_ISI\_Bill.pdf) The  draft  Bill  was  prepared  after  preliminary  consultation  with  the stakeholders and it seeks to provide incorporation of ISI as a body corporate  and  codify  an  empowered  governance  framework  with statutory bodies and, and it will replace and repeal the ISI Act, 1959. Four  previous  Review  Committees  have  examined  functioning  and progress  of ISI. It  has  emerged  from  these  reviews  that  the governance of ISI is characterized by legacy issues such as large size of ISI's Governing Council and excessive internal representation in it, institutional inefficiencies, lack of accountability, and resistance to reform. The 4 th  Review Committee was of the view that ISI can rise to its  true  potential  and  effect  a  turnaround,  if  it  can  bring  in  certain fundamental changes, some of which are not  just  incremental,  but truly  radical  in  its  structure,  systems  and  processes  backed  up  by much higher aspirational levels, from top leadership, down to every worker.  The  4 th   Review  Committee  recommended  that  'ISI  must reimagine,  reinvent  and  reposition  itself  to  regain  its  leadership position and remain relevant in changing times and as ISI reaches its centenary year in 2031, it should aim to create a new ISI@100 vision, transitioning  from  the  current  good  to  the  very  best,  one  of  the foremost  institutes  globally.'  However,  any  fundamental  reforms (including some suggested by the four Review Committees) have so far proved  difficult  to  implement  by  ISI  due  to  structural  rigidity  and complex governance structure. In order to address legacy issues and to enable deeper institutional reform,  the  Indian  Statistical  Institute  Bill  is  proposed  for  bringing governance reform in ISI. The draft Bill seeks to provide incorporation

of  ISI  as  a  body  corporate  and  codify  an  empowered  governance framework with statutory bodies and, and it will replace and repeal the outdated ISI Act, 1959.

The draft Indian Statistical Institute Bill is based on best practices, well-established  and  proven  model  of  peer  Institutions  of  National Importance  (INIs)  such  as  IITs/  IIMs  and it  has  been  customized, wherever necessary, considering the specialized nature of the ISI . The proposed  legislation is founded  upon  four guiding principles -Excellence, Effective Governance, Autonomy and Accountability.

The draft ISI Bill provides more robust and contemporary governance framework  which  enables  ISI  to  emerge  as  a  globally  recognised centre of excellence in statistical and allied disciplines. The publicinterest mandate of ISI will remain fully safeguarded as the Institute will continue to be an Institution of National Importance. The statutory authorities of the Institute namely the Visitor, the Board of Governors, an  Academic  Council,  the  Director,  Management  Councils,  CentreDirectors and the Registrar and their roles and responsibilities have been incorporated in the proposed Bill.

The  Board  of  Governors  will  be  an  empowered  and  leaner  body consisting of 11 members and having a balanced representation of internal and external members - only one government nominee, five external experts (including Chairperson) and five internal members of the Institute  including two members of the Academic Council. This would provide academic and governance autonomy to the Institute.

All  full  time  Professors  and  other  full-time  faculty  (as  may  be determined by the Board) are proposed to be included in the Academic Council.  This  will  make  the  Academic  Council  broader  and  more representative, and entrenches the participation of senior faculty in academic governance, thereby strengthening the academic autonomy of  the  Institute.  The  proposed  statutory  Academic  Council  is  given mandatory  as  well  as  recommendatory  powers,  while  the  existing Academic Council can only make recommendations to ISI Council.

The Bill provides for recognition of the Centres of the Institute (which will be approved by the Board) and grant them a degree of autonomy. The  Centres  of  the  Institute will be  given  adequate  financial, administrative and academic powers, so as to enable them to attain autonomy  in  their  decision  making  and  functioning  through  their respective Management Councils.

Collectively, the abovementioned  provisions  will strengthen the academic autonomy. The Bill introduces and streamlines the channels of accountability at various level. It provides provisions for review and inquiry by the Visitor, review of medium-term and long-term plan by the Board, and submission of annual performance report and annual financial  report  by  the  Director.  By  aligning  ISI  with  the  legal  and governance framework of other peer Institutions of National Importance, the ISI Bill intends to enhance institutional autonomy and accountability and also strengthen its capacity to deliver world-class education, research, and policy support. (d) The  extensive,  transparent  and  wider  pre-legislative  public consultation and inter-ministerial consultation on the draft ISI Bill has been  concluded.  Legal  vetting  of  the  draft  Bill  has  also  been completed. The process of the Cabinet approval has been initiated. The matter is under consideration in accordance with the prescribed procedure.

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