Hoping to attract talented and eligible candidates to the Indian Statistical Service, the Government has relaxed the eligibility criteria to a Bachelor’s degree and increased the number of posts for the cadre which is in charge of economic and social data indicators.
The shortage of trained statisticians in both the senior and junior cadres has severely limited the ability of the Central Statistics Office and the National Sample Survey Organisation to carry out various surveys, including the pending Periodic Labour Force Survey.
The new Indian Statistical Service (ISS) Rules, 2016 allow candidates with even a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics or Mathematical Statistics or Applied Statistics as one of the subjects to appear for the examination, held by the Union Public Service Commission.
According to the earlier criteria, a Master’s degree in one of these subjects was mandatory. Additionally, candidates with degrees from foreign universities that are not recognised in India or “exceptional” candidates who do not have the required educational qualification may also be considered eligible.
“This relaxation has been long pending. The timing of the UPSC exams and the completion of the Master’s course is such that candidates end up losing at least one year,” said Pronab Sen, former Chief Statistician of India and now Country Director, International Growth Centre’s India programme.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), which is also the cadre controlling authority for the ISS, had discussed the issue with heads of departments in various disciplines. “The criterion of a Master’s degree was a huge disincentive,” said Sen.
Further, students with Master’s degrees in Statistics often get into academics or high-paying private sector jobs. The cadre strength of the ISS has now also increased to 814 from the earlier 808, with five top-level posts of Director-General, against only two such posts before.
Apart from the posts of Director-General for CSO and NSSO, similar positions will be set up for social statistics and in the Ministries of Labour and Employment and Health and Family Welfare.
In 2013, the government had provided a similar relaxation in the eligibility criteria for Statistical Investigator Grade-II in the Subordinate Statistical Service and had permitted candidates with Bachelor’s degrees to appear for the examination.