<b>Soumya Kanti Ghosh:</b> Why unlearning is important

When a point of view is unsubstantiated by data, it becomes a sort of repetitive analysis

A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.” So goes the saying. The problem is, when a point of view is unsubstantiated by data (as it is commonly in the Indian context), it becomes a sort of repetitive analysis. This is exactly what has happened with the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) advance estimates (AE) of gross domestic product (GDP) for FY17 and the recently released government tax collection figures.

First, a word on the CSO estimates. There are some inconsistencies regarding the CSO GDP estimates, which we must know. First, the CSO has