ISS 2016 Statistics Paper-2 Solution: Question 76 (Mandate of SDRD in NSSO)
Continuing our question-by-question walk through the ISS Statistics Paper-2 archive, today we take up Question 76 from the 2016 paper. This one moves away from the formula-heavy items we've been through recently and tests something equally important for the ISS exam: how well you know the institutional machinery that produces India's official statistics.
Quick Summary
Topic:Organizational structure of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) — specifically the mandate of the Survey Design and Research Division (SDRD)
Question Reference:ISS 2016, Statistics Paper-2, Question 76
Correct Answer:Option (a) — 1, 2 and 4
The Question as Asked
76. Which of the following are part of mandate of SDRD ?
Planning of Survey
Formulation of Sample Design
Conducting of Sample Survey
Preparation of Survey Reports
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
(a) 1, 2 and 4
(b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 2, 3 and 4
Step 1: What Does SDRD Actually Stand For?
Before you can match statements to a mandate, you need to be completely sure what the abbreviation means — a surprising number of candidates lose marks on exactly this kind of question simply because they guess at the full form.SDRD stands for the Survey Design and Research Division, one of the key divisions that historically made up the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), functioning under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). Read the name slowly and it almost tells you the answer on its own: "Survey Design" and "Research" — not "survey execution" or "survey fieldwork."
Step 2: Map the Four Divisions of the NSSO
For a novice reader, the fastest way to solve this type of question is not to memorise a single sentence about SDRD in isolation, but to build the whole picture of how NSSO divided its work. Historically (and this division-of-labour logic is still the basis for such exam questions even after the 2019 reorganisation into the National Statistical Office), the NSSO's survey work was split roughly as follows:
Survey Design and Research Division (SDRD):plans the survey, formulates the sampling design and methodology, designs the schedules/questionnaires, and later analyses the collected data to prepare the survey reports.
Field Operations Division (FOD):is the division that physically goes into the field — through its network of regional and sub-regional offices — to actually conduct the survey, i.e., collect the data from households and enterprises.
Data Processing Division (DPD):processes and tabulates the raw data gathered from the field.
Survey Coordination Division:coordinates across the other divisions and handles overall publication and dissemination.
Notice the clean division of labour: the"thinking and designing" work sits with SDRD, while the "doing and collecting" work sits with FOD. That single distinction is the entire key to this question.
Step 3: Test Each Statement Against SDRD's Real Job
Now go through the four statements one at a time, the way you should for any "which of the following" item:
Statement 1 — Planning of Survey:This is squarely SDRD's job. Before any survey can be fielded, someone has to decide its objectives, scope, and overall plan. That's SDRD.Statement 1 is correct.
Statement 2 — Formulation of Sample Design:This is the most literal reading of the division's own name — "Survey Design." Deciding the sampling frame, the stages of sampling, the allocation of sample size across strata, and so on, is core SDRD work.Statement 2 is correct.
Statement 3 — Conducting of Sample Survey:This is the one trap statement. "Conducting" means going out and actually collecting the data in the field — enumerators visiting households, filling schedules, and so on. That is the job of the Field Operations Division (FOD), not SDRD.Statement 3 is incorrect for SDRD's mandate.
Statement 4 — Preparation of Survey Reports:Once data comes back (after processing), it is analysed and written up into the final survey reports. This "research" output is exactly what the "R" in SDRD refers to.Statement 4 is correct.
Pro Tip: Whenever an ISS or similar GS-type question lists "planning/designing" a survey alongside "conducting" a survey as separate statements, treat that as a deliberate trap — the exam is testing whether you know that these are handled by two different divisions of NSSO (SDRD and FOD respectively), not the same one. Students who drill this kind of planning-versus-execution distinction until it becomes automatic — a habit that's a regular part of how applied statistics questions are taught in ISS coaching — rarely fall for this trap a second time.
Step 4: Apply the Code to Reach the Final Answer
With Statement 3 eliminated and Statements 1, 2, and 4 confirmed as correct, scan the four codes given:
(a) 1, 2 and 4 — matches exactly
(b) 1, 2 and 3 — includes the incorrect Statement 3
(c) 1, 3 and 4 — includes the incorrect Statement 3
(d) 2, 3 and 4 — includes the incorrect Statement 3
Only option (a) survives.The correct answer is option (a) — 1, 2 and 4 — and this matches the official answer key (Series A) for Question 76.
Why This Question Matters
ISS Paper-2 doesn't only test computational statistics — it also checks whether you understand the actual machinery of India's official statistical system, since that's precisely what an ISS officer will go on to work within. Questions on the structure of NSSO, CSO, the National Statistical Office, and bodies like the Survey Design and Research Division test applied, on-the-job awareness rather than textbook formulas. These questions are also relatively low-hanging fruit in the exam: once you've mapped the division-of-labour logic once, similar questions across other years become easy marks rather than guesswork.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the full form of SDRD in the context of NSSO?
SDRD stands for the Survey Design and Research Division. It was one of the core divisions of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), responsible for the design, sampling methodology, and analytical/reporting side of large-scale sample surveys in India.
What is the difference between SDRD and the Field Operations Division (FOD)?
SDRD handles the planning, sample design, and later the report-writing/analysis stage of a survey, while FOD is the division that physically conducts the survey — collecting data in the field through its regional and sub-regional office network. In short, SDRD designs the survey and FOD executes it.
Did NSSO's divisional structure change after 2019?
Yes. In 2019, the NSSO and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) were merged to form the National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI. However, exam questions like this one still test the classical division-wise mandate (SDRD, FOD, DPD, Survey Coordination Division), since that functional split largely continues to define how the work is organised.
Why is "Conducting of Sample Survey" not part of SDRD's mandate?
Because conducting a survey means physically collecting data from respondents, which is operational fieldwork handled by the Field Operations Division. SDRD's role ends once the survey is designed and begins again once data needs to be analysed and reported — it does not itself go into the field.
Are questions on NSSO's organizational structure common in ISS Paper-2?
Yes, this is a recurring theme across multiple years of ISS Paper-2, since the paper includes a section on applied statistics and the official statistical system of India. Similar questions ask about the mandates of CSO, NSSO divisions, or specific surveys like the Economic Census and Agriculture Census.
How should I prepare for this type of institutional/organizational question?
Rather than memorising isolated facts, build a simple mental map of who does what — who plans, who designs the sample, who collects data, who processes it, and who publishes it. Once that logical structure is clear, you can answer almost any permutation of statements the exam throws at you, even for divisions or surveys you haven't seen before in exactly this phrasing.
If anything in this breakdown still feels unclear, drop your doubt in the comments below — and if you know a fellow ISS aspirant working through the same previous-year papers, consider sharing this post with them.
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