Indian Statistical Service (ISS)

The Indian Statistical Service was formed in the year November 1961 under the cadre controlling authority of Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation with a cadre size of 617 posts. The source of recruitment (in percentage) is by direct recruitment 60% in Grave IV (JTS) and by promotion 40% (in all other categories, it is 100%) with no lateral entry in any other category.

Service hierarchy:

Grade	Pay scales	Designations in field	Designations in headquarters	Any other Designation
Junior time scale	8000-13500	Assistant director	Assistant director	Research officer
Selection time scale	10000-15200	Deputy director	Deputy director	Senior research officer/deputy director general
Junior administrative grade	12000-16500	Joint director	Joint director	Director/Dy. Adviser/Assistant professor/senior dy. Director general
Non-functional Selection grade	14300-18300	Director	Director	Joint adviser
Senior administrative grade	18400-500-22400	Deputy director	general Deputy director	general Director general/ additional statistical adviser/ chief director
Higher administrative grade (HAG) II HAG-I	22400-525-24500	Additional director general	Additional director general DG & CEO, NSSO Special secretary	Director general
	22400-26000
	26000 (fixed)

Brief write up on the service outlining the main functions etc. including areas where interaction and coordination with other services is essential:
The Indian Statistical Service was constituted as a group A central civil service in the year 1961 on the basis of recommendations made by Krishnamachari committee. The main objective was to have an organized cadre of the statistical discipline personnel to manage the statistical function posts spread in various ministries in the Government of India. It contains posts in various grades, namely JTS, STS, JAG, SAG and HAG. At present, the cadre strength is 617 excluding 73 posts of leave/training/deputation reserve.

Primarily, the function of the statistical officers is to provide adequate, timely and qualitative information, which will be useful for the policy makers to arrive at informed decisions. This process involves maintaining the existing statistical systems in the Ministry and make efforts for betterment of systems that cater to the increasing need of generating adequate data. In some ministries, it involves conduct of primary survey operations and data preparation including validation of data. In those Ministries where collection of data is not involved, the ISS officers are required to handle secondary data, organize and analyse the same and prepare analytical reports. In addition, they are also required to keep liaison with other government functionaries involved in the statistical sub-system in other ministries/state governments. While discharging the advisory functions, ISS officers are also responsible for laying down statistical priorities, standardization of procedures and methods and are responsible for professional quality of statistical work with the desired international standards.

There are several functional levels for the statistical personnel in the official statistical systems at the centre. However, the concepts, definitions, standards, classifications, statistical techniques and various other norms to be used/implemented are common for all the levels in the ISS. What is different is the level of responsibility. The officers at the level of SAG and above are expected to discharge advisory and coordination functions in the respective ministries whereas the lower levels, ie., junior administrative grade and below are normally expected to implement the laid down policies and operate the statistical systems. At all levels, coordination with other officers and other organizational systems is essential. While discharging the advisory functions, the statistical service officers come in contact with not only their senior officers come in contact with not only their senior officers, namely, secretary and minister of the concerned ministry but also with their counterparts in other ministries, in other services and in state governments.

As explained above, there is a need for statistical officers working in various ministries to interact and coordinate with other service office. For example, statistical service officers posted in Ministry of health and family welfare work in close liaision with qualified specialist doctors in various fields and para-medical staff for building up sound health statistics and in maintenance of statistical system. In the Ministry of agriculture, planning commission, department of revenue, ministry of industry, ministry of commerce etc., the ISS officers come in contact with specialists on the subject and also other group A central service officers belonging to Indian economics service, Indian revenue service and central excise and customs service office. Besides the above, ISS officers also work in various capacities, namely, at the level of Deputy secretary/Director/Joint Secretary in various ministries on central and non-central deputation. Quite often, service officers are being invited to serve in staff selection commission. Election commission, and UPSC etc ISS officers are also involved in discharging organizational and other administrative functions while on central deputation.