04/08/2026
*ALL INDIA SAVE EDUCATION COMMITTEE*
*All India Save Education Committee Opposes the Indian Statistical Institute Bill 2026*
Dr. Tarun Kanti Naskar has issued the following statement:
On August 3, 2026 the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026 was introduced in Parliament. If this Bill becomes law, the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI)—an autonomous Centre of Excellence established 95 years ago by Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis—will, in effect, be reduced to a department of the Central Government.
ISI has pioneered a new tradition in the field of statistics not only in West Bengal or India but across the world. This has been possible solely because of the academic autonomy it has enjoyed in education and research.
Under the proposed law, the Board of Governors will be nominated by the Government, and instead of being elected, the Director will also be appointed by the Government. This will facilitate greater government interference in teaching and research.
The Bill is in line with the National Education Policy's objective of extreme centralisation of education.
A year ago, the AISEC submitted a memorandum to the concerned Union Minister demanding the complete withdrawal of this Bill. We once again urge the Government to refrain from turning this Bill into law.