Indian Statistical Institute Bill to Expand Institute Governance Introduced in Lok Sabha

The Government of India is set to introduce the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The legislation would repeal the Indian Statistical Institute Act of 1959 and incorporate the institute as a body corporate, creating a Board of Governors headed by an eminent academic or industry figure and designating the President of India as the institute’s Visitor. An Academic Council, chaired by the institute’s director, would serve as the principal academic body.

The bill aims to strengthen governance, improve accountability, and broaden the institute’s remit to meet evolving academic and research needs. By modernising its legal framework, the government seeks to position the institute as a globally recognised centre for statistical sciences and to help bridge the talent gap in data science and related fields that affects India’s technology and financial sectors.