Patna, June 12: The state statistical directorate is working on a plan to develop some sort of collaboration with academic institutions to promote analytic research based on the data generated by the directorate.

At present, no such analysis is done despite the fact that the directorate comes out with huge chunk of state-related data every year. Such analytical research works are very common in developed states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, and there the researchers use these inputs for conducting applied research.

“There is an urgent need to promote such research work, else people would not be able to get insight about different aspects of the state,” J.K. Sinha, who heads the state statistical directorate, told The Telegraph.

The directorate has decided to move in a very methodical manner on this front and it is going to organise a workshop on June 13 in which various institutions — both academic and non-academic — have been invited to take part.

The list of invitees include AN Sinha Institute, LN Mishra Institute, Asian Development Research Institute, Bihar Economic Institution, Central University of Bihar, Chandragupt Institute of Management, Patna, Bihar Prashasnik Sudhar Mission and representatives from economics, statistics and other social sciences departments of Patna University.

During the daylong exercise, the directorate would share the information it has with it and would seek suggestions from participating institutions and agencies for promoting analytical research work based on the vast pool of data.

The data on offer would be the result of 61st round of National Sample Survey (NSS), the tabulation work of which has already been completed. This round of data deals with the information related to 2004-05. At present, the information collection work for the 67th round of NSS is on.

“We would be offering more data in days to come, as the tabulation work of 66th round of NSS outcome is almost in the final stage,” Sinha said.

As far as data of 62nd to 65th round is concerned, the directorate had floated tenders for conducting the tabulation work and the agency that would carry out this work has already been selected.

“In the next three months, the tabulation work of data of 62nd to 65th round would be completed and interested institutions and agencies would be provided these data as per their requirement,” said Sinha.

Apart from encouraging institutions and agencies to take up the research work, the statistical directorate also intends to engage young researchers in the analysis work and for realising this goal, the directorate is likely to come up with offers of internship for researchers.

“During the June 13 workshop, we would solicit suggestions from participating institutions and agencies to suggest modalities for such internships, as the directorate too has limitations as far as offering internship to researchers is concerned,” Sinha said.

He said five students from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, had recently come for an internship programme in the directorate and completed it successfully. “It would be great if students from institutions located in Bihar too get this opportunity as it would help them generate research papers which would give new insights into the condition of the state,” he added.