Centre, Faculty Clash Over Governance Changes at Indian Statistical Institute
The bill has triggered a wider debate over academic autonomy, with the faculty arguing it would bring the institution under greater government control
NEW DELHI: A proposed government bill to overhaul the governance of the Indian Statistical Institute has drawn criticism from faculty at the nearly century-old institution, one of the country's leading centers for statistics and research.
The Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, introduced in the country's parliament this week, proposes replacing the institute's current society-based governance structure with a statutory framework overseen by a board of governors.
The bill has triggered a wider debate over academic autonomy, with the faculty arguing it would bring the institution under greater government control.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, the faculty said the bill concentrates decision-making powers in a government-accountable board of governors, weakens the elected representation of faculty and staff, and curtails the academic council's role in academic matters.
It also gives the federal government greater influence over the appointment of the institute's director, the statement said.
"The bill should be referred to a parliamentary panel so that stakeholders could present their views before it is enacted," Rahul Roy, a professor at the institute, told reporters on Wednesday.
Roy also said that there had been no formal consultation with the institute before the legislation was introduced in parliament.
The statistics ministry rejected the faculty's concerns, saying their views had been considered but that the proposed changes were necessary to strengthen the institution's accountability.
A top government official, who did not wish to be named, said the new bill would help the institute expand research and teaching in areas such as artificial intelligence and data science.
India's statistics ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment at the time of publication.
Founded in 1931, the Indian Statistical Institute has played a central role in shaping India's statistical system, training generations of economists, statisticians and data scientists, and producing research that underpins official data collection, economic planning, agriculture and public health.
