Good planning remains one of the foundations of a progressive nation. Statistics remain the basis of planning. Statistics is an ideal career option for those who have an analytical mind, flair for mathematics and a love for numbers. 

Why you need this for everything

Economics, Planning, public health care, biological science (Epidemiology, Pharmacology, Agriculture, Genetics, Bioinformatics etc.), Sensex, Population control studies, Industrial products Statistical quality control, Forestry, Police service (Road accidents control, criminal cases, criminology and forensic science), National safety, Insurance, Risk management, Engineering, Financial evaluation, trade analysis and marketing, stock market, psychiatry, IT, Study surveys, Data warehousing, business intelligence, shipping, Fire force, fire accident and other diseases, a person’s life expectancy are all based on statistical theories. Biostatistics is essential for public healthcare. 

Job possibilities are infinite 

Including research, there are infinite job possibilities for all the above-mentioned fields. Stats MSc students can write UGC Net exam and get into teaching or research work in college. Those with Stats BSc can appear for the yearly UPSC test and appear for the Indian Statistical service. One can also become a Statistical Investigator through the Staff Selection Commission exam. Government Statistical departments, Bureaus, Central Statistics Office, National Sample Survey Office, Senses Organization, Population control study units, Planning board etc. are the other departments one can opt for.

Where to study?

• Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (www.isical.ac.in): Primary Institute with branches in Bangalore and Chennai. Programs in Bachelor to PhD, DSC. 

• Various universities including Kerala/Calicut and colleges offering MSC, MPhil, PhD courses.

• Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) (www.cusat.ac.in) two-year MSc/ Five-year Integrated MSc/PhD/for Stats BSc MA Applied Economics MWOK Technology and Management Consulting/ MTech Engineering Statistics for Btech students.

• Kerala Veterinary University’s MS Bio Stats. 

• MG University and Pala St. Thomas college offer MSc Bio Stats.

• Via JAM IIT Bombay-MSC Applied Statistic & informatics/IIT Kanpur-MSc Statistics.

• PhD in Bangalore’s Indian Institute of Science. 

• International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai (IIPS): MA/MSc in Population Studies (2years), MSc Biostatistics and Demography, 1-year MPS (Master of Population Studies). Those qualified can apply for PhD in Population studies/Biostatistics & Demography. 

• In Britain and the US there are various options in the field of Statistics and Applied statistics, Biostatistics, actuarial science, Business statistics, Chemometrics, Econometrics etc.