CEA Urged Indian Economic Service (IES) Officers to Stay Updated With Latest Econometrics & Data Analytics

Dr. Krishnamurty Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) to the Government of India and Cadre Head of the Indian Economic Service (IES) asks the IES officers to keep themselves updated and skilled with tools and techniques concerning econometrics, data analytics and effective visualization among others. He also emphasized the need for sharing of experiences and best practices regularly on a common platform amongst IES officers. CEA Dr Subramanium was speaking during his interaction with the IES officers yesterday in the national capital. The interaction was half-a-day long Brain-storming Session on enhancing the effective contribution of IES officers to the Economic Policymaking and its implementation in the country. More than 130 IES officers, who are posted at different levels in various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India, participated in the said Session.

It was agreed that IES officers can contribute more effectively to the policy space by making all advice to the Government evidence-based, objectively communicating the policies of the Government, and widening the scope of the engagement of IES officers to parastatals and the State Government services. To this end, CEA emphasized that IES officers need to be updated and skilled with tools and techniques relating to econometrics, data analytics & effective visualization among others. As the importance of specialization in policymaking is increasing constantly, IES officers need to constantly engage with academia and the private sector to provide sharp economic analysis. The CEA also advocated continuous learning through training programs in India and abroad in the best academic institutions and combining them with effective use of the advantages provided by the online training courses.

Commenting on the need of such updation, Mr. Arun Kumar Jha, Senior Advisor - Finance, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India said, "IES officers hold great responsibility and they are much in demand as they are the best suited for implementation of government schemes. That is the reason now the Government has increased the number of fresh recruitment more than double to 32 from 15 in the past. Their active participation can lead to an efficient implementation of any government scheme and policy."

Mr. Jha also emphasized that IES officers need to be given bigger responsibilities as they are actually specialist who understands the fundamentals of financial outflow.

IES officers expressed their gratitude to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance - for the growth and reach of IES officers to the Senior Levels in the Government of India.