8 Best Statistics Institutes In India

India celebrated the 15th National Statistics Day on the birth anniversary of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis. He is best known for introducing 'The Mahalanobis Distance,' a statistical measure used in many software programs today, and for founding the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).

Mahalanobis was instrumental in setting up the National Sample Survey to collect data on socio-economic parameters of the country. The Indian government has extensively used these tools to frame informed policies.

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On the occasion of the 'National Statistics Day,' we have curated a list of top statistics institutes in India. 

1. Indian Statistical Institute (ISI)

Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), founded in 1931, is headquartered in Kolkata. At present, it has four subsidiary centres in Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Tezpur. 

ISI also has a network of Statistical Quality Control and Operations Research units at Coimbatore, Vadodara, Hyderabad, Giridih, Mumbai, and Pune, guiding industries in India and abroad, to develop quality management systems and solve critical problems related to quality, reliability and productivity. Lately, the government of India has been sponsoring multiple Covid-19 projects proposed by ISI researchers.

2. IIT Kanpur

The mathematics and statistics department at IIT Kanpur is one of the premier departments in the country, providing excellent teaching and research in mathematical sciences, including statistics. The programmes motivate research in mathematical science and train computational scientists working on challenging problems.

The placement of students in the MSc statistics programmes is almost 100% in the last ten years. 

IIT Bombay, IIT Tirupati, IIT Delhi, IIT Roorkee, IIT (BHU), and IIT Guwahati also offer statistics courses for students. 

3. St. Stephen's College

Founded in 1881, St. Stephen's College is one of the oldest colleges in Delhi. The college offers various mathematics and statistics courses, covering calculus, multivariable calculus, probability and statistics, software (Maxima/Mathematica), biostatistics, etc. In addition, the faculty at St. Stephen have done their research from prestigious institutions including Princeton, Rutgers, Oxford, Cambridge, IITs, IISc and JNU.

4. St. Xavier's College Kolkata 

St. Xavier's College was founded in 1860. The Department of Statistics was started back in the late fifties. The alumni have been placed in top MNCs in insurance, finance, risk management, portfolio analysis and development of statistical software.  St. Xavier's College’s  Mumbai campus also offers various courses in statistics. 

5. Lady Shri Ram College for Women

Lady Shri Ram College for Women is one of the premier institutions of higher learning for women in India. The college offers various courses in statistics, marketing, finance, and strategy making. In addition, students are trained on applied statistics, statistical methods and analysis, and work in the areas such as surveys, econometrics, biostatistics, and operations research.

The department of statistics at Lady Shri Ram College for Women teaches students rigorous methods, tools and techniques to sift through a maze of data. In addition, students also conduct practicals based on computer language C and software packages like Excel, Word, and statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS). 

6. Madras Christian College (MCC)

The department of statistics at MCC was established in 1968. Located in Chennai, the department offers statistics, computer applications, managerial economics and operational research. It has a well-established 'Gift Sironomey Statistical Computing Laboratory.' The department believes in practical training of its students by conducting public opinion, socio-economic and tribal surveys. 

7. Loyola College

The department of statistics at Loyola College was founded in 1982. With 14 faculty members, the department provides consultancy services to various institutions and companies, alongside teaching students different statistical methods for economics, biostatistics and more. It offers various UG and PG courses in statistics. 

8. SP College Pune

Savitribai Phule Pune University has one of the leading statistics departments in the country, and it is the only centre for advanced studies in statistics under the UGC and CAS scheme. The department of mathematics and statistics at SP College was established in 1953. However, the department of statistics was hived off in 1976. 

The students get placed in leading global software and pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Novartis, Systat, Ideas etc. Some students have taken up jobs in RBI, Indian Statistical Services and Bureau of Economics and Statistics.