mortality estimates. Referring to the new figures, the central government said in a statement on Thursday that the validity and robustness of the models used and the methodology of data collection are questionable.
The statement said that India has been consistently objecting to the methodology adopted by WHO to project excess mortality estimates based on mathematical models and despite objection to the process, methodology and outcome of this modelling exercise, WHO has released the excess mortality estimates without adequately addressing India's concerns.
India had also informed WHO that in view of the availability of authentic data published through the Civil Registration System (CRS) by the Registrar General of India (RGI), mathematical models should not be used for projecting excess mortality numbers for India. "Registration of births and deaths in India is extremely robust and is governed by decades-old statutory legal framework i.e. 'Births & Deaths Registration Act, 1969'.
The Civil Registration data, as well as Sample Registration data released annually by RGI, has been used by a large number of researchers, policymakers and scientists both domestically and globally," the statement said.