The Bank-wide Social and Economic Statistics Committee (SESC) was established in 1987 and was responsible for advising the Senior Vice President, Policy, Planning and Research (SVPPR) on policies of the Bank's social and economic statistical services. It served as a Bank-wide forum for ensuring that the interests of the Bank's socio-economic data collectors, managers, and users were adequately considered. The Committee met at roughly quarterly intervals; the Chief Economist (DECVP) was chair and Ramesh Chander, Statistical Adviser (DECVP), was ex-officio Secretary.

This series contains a small collection of SESC records that D.C. Rao maintained while he was Director of the Risk Management and Financial Policy Department (FRS) and a member of SESC. This set of the Committee's records includes lists of members; Terms of Reference; minutes of the first meeting held on September 8, 1987; an August 11, 1988 note from Stanley Fischer summarizing the major issues regarding the Bank Economic and Social Database (BESD) prior to a discussion of BESD at a SESC meeting; and a copy of the 1987 questionnaire for Short Term, Long Term and Credit Worthiness Surveys.

While Rao was neither the Chair nor the Secretary for this Committee, there are no known records related to the SESC found in the custody of the World Bank Group Archives. Therefore, this set of records is retained permanently.