NSO Launches Regional Training Camp for NSS 90th Round Survey

Hyderabad: The National Statistical Office (NSO), Hyderabad, has launched a four-day regional training camp under the Union ministry of statistics and programme implementation, at the CR Rao Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, Gachibowli.

This programme is to prepare its officers and field staff for the 80th round NSS survey. Scheduled to run from January to December 2025, the nationwide survey will focus on health, particularly Out of Pocket Expenditure as well as on access to government financed health insurance programmes.

It will also include a comprehensive module on telecom and ICT skills to address the needs of sectors like the department of telecommunications (DoT) and the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY).

The regional training camp was inaugurated by Dr Yugandhar, CEO of CR Rao Institute, who attended the event as a special guest.

In his address, Dr Yugandhar said that the statistics play an important role in shaping policy frameworks, and training initiatives like these equip officers with the necessary skills to execute crucial surveys.

N. Ajith Kumar, Deputy Director General of the NSO regional office, elaborated on the importance of the survey in providing accurate data to address socio-economic challenges. He also noted the need for proper and rigorous data collection to ensure effective policy making in health and telecom sectors.

The event brought together senior officials, including Deputy Director Siva Parvathi Reddy, Assistant Director Jayaram, and KV Swamy, alongside 150 field enumerators from Telangana. These enumerators, who are central to the data collection process, received specialised training on survey methodologies and protocols. Members of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES), Government of Telangana, were also present.

The 80th round NSS survey is expected to deliver a detailed understanding of health and telecom trends across the country, and provide essential input for evidence-based policymaking. Training camps like this strengthen the capabilities of NSO officers and field teams to ensure the collection of reliable, high-quality data.