The minimum educational qualification required in this field is a bachelors degree with a major in statistics or mathematics. A Masters degree or Ph.D. is very helpful and often recommended or required for higher-level positions. A bachelors degree with a major in related field such as economics or natural science and a minor in statistics is preferred for some jobs. A combination of statistical skills with other subjects such as economics, operational research, computer science, business administration can give one a competitive advantage while seeking employment. Job opportunities in industrial research require the candidate to have a masters degree and several years of experience. A high level of specialized training has to be obtained in order to be well placed in industry.

Course Areas: BSc and MSc Statistic courses are available in most universities across India.

Duration: The duration of a normal undergraduate programme is three years and that of post graduate course is two years.

Selection: Candidates who wish to apply for Undergraduate course in Statistics should have passed 10+2 or equivalent examination securing a minimum of 50% marks in the aggregate in the subjects Physics, Maths plus any one of the following: Chemistry, Statistics, Computer Science. For admission to MSc courses students who have passed B. Sc./ B. A. , with Mathematics/ Statistics as one of the subjects , or has passed B. Sc in Computer Science with minimum 50 % marks in aggregate, are considered eligible. Some Universities and Institutes conduct specific entrance tests to gauge the aptitude of the aspirants. These are only general information regarding the eligibility criteria and it would be good if the aspirants check with the concerned institutions and universities regarding their admission criteria and procedure.

Personal Skills: Statisticians must have good reasoning ability, persistence and the ability to apply principles to new types of problems. They should have a mathematical aptitude and be able to reason logically. Statisticians need to be flexible and have a curious and disciplined mind. It is very important to have a good background in computers as statisticians use computers a lot. It is imperative that those interested in making a career in this field have good verbal and writing skills. Besides they should also have intellectual creativity, patience & persistence, attention to detail, problem-solving skills, logic, and ability to take decisions independently.