Statistics as a Career

Statistics is a recognized professional career and is among the top career choices made by students in India. Statistics in simple words, deals with study of analysis and presentation of numerical data. Statistics has lot of scope in terms of career opportunities. Students having interest in Mathematical Calculations opt for Statistics career in large numbers. Statisticians collect, verify and interpret data and use the same to solve problems in a wide variety of fields. The services of a statistician are required in every field right from government offices to international sporting events. The job of statistician is not something out of the world, but something that affects each one of us in one way or the other.

Different areas of statistics are crime statistics, census statistics, ecological statistics, medical statistics, statistics on job-seekers, on education, film statistics, cricket statistics, oil statistics, market statistics, accident statistics, labour statistics, population statistics, election statistics, district-city-state statistics, tourism statistics etc. All these areas require the analytical brain and comprehending ability of a statistician to interpret numerical data and explain to the common public what the numbers mean and how it can be beneficial to the common man.

Skills required :

• Strong foundation in 'mathematical statistics'
• Ability to interact with persons from diverse fields to understand a problem.
• Logical thinking ability to comprehend key facts leading to formulation of the solution process
• Versatility in solving problems and appraisal of results.
• Strong background in statistical computing
• Ability to stay updated on recent literature and statistical software

Almost every country in this world has their own statistical agencies or bureaus. The apex body of the official statistical system in India is the Department of Statistics in the Ministry of Planning and Programme Implementation. This department acts as the nodal agency for the planned development of the country's statistical system. It comprises the Central Statistical Organisation, the National Sample Survey Organisation etc. This body also administers the Indian Statistical Institutes the most prestigious statistical studies institutes in the country.

Job Opportunities:
A wide variety of job opportunities exist for trained statisticians both in the private as well as government sectors. They may work individually or as part of interdisciplinary teams. Teaching and research field are open to candidates with a master's degree and doctorate. While a statistician's job may appear to be boring and monotonous to an outsider, it is not so. Some amount of work may require a statistician to work in the comforts of a proper office environment. However, fieldwork may be required in some cases and this may involve a lot of traveling for collection of data.

Students with a B.Sc. Statistics Degree can look for jobs in Banking, Computer programming or even Quality control. Students with a B.Sc. Statistics degree can also think about Actuarial Science as a specialization and look for training in the Insurance industry. Colleges that offer B.Sc. Statistics Degrees may also have some form of placement assistance where students will be given industry contacts where they can apply for jobs after graduation. Some colleges ensure that students undergo industry interaction in the form of final year projects for training.

Though career options for stu¬dents with a BSc (Honours) degree in statistics are available in the private sector, (he academia recommends a postgraduate degree in statistics. This is because, the typical job profile in 'analytics' in the industry* demands a very strong foundation in academics. It is indeed thought-provoking that for those looking beyond the horizon, while a bachelor's or a master's degree should be reasonable, a PhD in a relevant field is the mantra for never looking back in life. jobs in India exist in the capacities of data interpreters, data analysts, statisticians and enumerators. Many of the scholars completing statistics courses are appointed by educational and research institutes in India and abroad. Appointments are in the opportunities of lecturers, assistant professors or research scholars. For good positions in government jobs one has appear for the INDIAN STATISTICAL SERVICES exam conducted by he UPSC, The exam is conducted for three days duration . You can have all other information from the website : www.upsc.gov.in

The renowned statistics colleges in India are:

1. Indian Statistical Institute, Head quarters: Kolkata
   Branches:, New Delhi , Mumbai , Chennai, Bangalore
   Website: http://www.isical.ac.in/index.php
   These institutes impart B.Stat (Honours), M.Stat . and Ph.D. courses in statistics
2. Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi , Uttar Pradesh,
   Website: www.bhu.ac.in/aboutbhu
   Course: Research in Statistics sponsored by Rockefeller Foundation
   Courses in Distance mode:
   BA / B.Sc Statistics courses in Distance Education Universities
   • BA in Nagarjuna University
   • BA in Osmania University
   • B.Sc in Andhra University
   • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad
   • B.Sc in Dravidian University
   • B.Sc in Vinayaka Mission