According to official sources, the commission, headed by the former RBI governor C Rangarajan, has agreed to submit a synopsis of its report in January. The detailed report, however, will be submitted by July.

Although, the government had set up a number of groups from time to time to inspect various aspects of Indian statistical system, this is the first time in five decades to study the system as a whole. The commission has been asked to examine the deficiencies that have rooted themselves in the Indian statistical system and to suggest remedial measures. The commission had constituted seven sub-groups. The areas include agricultural statistics, national accounts statistics, financial and external sector statistics, industry commerce, corporate sector & price statistics, services and infrastructure statistics, socio-economic statistics and statistical system, information, communication and technology needs, HRD, legislation and audit statistics.

Talks with state statistical departments are also on to improve coordination between the Centre and the states.

The National Statistical Commission comprises 11 experts including the former CSO director VR Rao, ISI professor J Roy, former Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute director Prem Narain, NCAER director-general Rakesh Mohan, RIS director-general VR Panchmukhi, RBI deputy governor Y Venugopal Reddy, UN expert S M Vidhwans, Delhi School of Economics professor S Tendulkar, former NCERT professor ABL Srivastava and Tata Sons director Fredie Ardeshir Mehta.

The terms of reference of the commission are lengthy. It is required to examine the deficiencies in the present statistical system in terms of timeliness, reliability and adequacy and to recommend measures to correct them and generate timely and reliable statistics.

It has to recommend permanent and effective coordinating mechanism for ensuring integrated development of decentralised statistical system in the country. The commission has to review the existing legislation for the collection of statistical information and has to suggest amendments where necessary.

The existing organisation of the statistics and programme implementation ministry and other statistical units of the government has to be examined and recommendations of staffing and training requirements are to be given.

The commission also has to examine the need for instituting statistical audit of the range of services provided by the government and the local bodies and make suitable recommendations.