Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
ACNAS
"Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics — the expert body that recommends GDP methodology and base year changes"
The Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics (ACNAS) is a high-level expert committee set up by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) to advise on methodological improvements in India's national accounts, including the selection of a new GDP base year. The committee comprises representatives from RBI, NITI Aayog, the Agriculture Ministry, GSTN, DPIIT, the Department of Commerce, and independent economists. The ACNAS that recommended the 2022-23 base year was a 26-member body chaired by Prof. Biswanath Goldar, established in June 2024.
Relevant for UPSC Prelims (institutional bodies in economic statistics) and GS-3 Mains. UPSC can test which body recommends base year changes (ACNAS), who chairs it, and how it relates to the National Statistical Commission (NSC) and the National Statistical Office (NSO). Understanding the institutional architecture of India's statistical system is essential for questions on data credibility.
- 1 Expert advisory body under MoSPI for national accounts methodology
- 2 Recommends GDP base year selection and methodological changes
- 3 The 2024 ACNAS had 26 members chaired by Prof. Biswanath Goldar
- 4 Includes representatives from RBI, NITI Aayog, GSTN, DPIIT, Agriculture Ministry
- 5 Selected FY 2022-23 as new base year because it was the first normal post-COVID year
The ACNAS, chaired by Prof. Biswanath Goldar and set up in June 2024, selected 2022-23 as the new GDP base year because it represented the first normal post-COVID year with robust data across all sectors.
