Dharwad: Students studying in government PU colleges across the state have been deprived of the opportunity to study statistics as one of the four core subjects as the combinations of subjects offered in the colleges does not include statistics.
Many students who are keen to study statistics had to give up their desire as they could not afford to pay the fees charged by the private colleges where the facility to study the subject is available.
Sanjay Patil, a student of a government PU college in Bagalkot district said he wants to do MA in economics and take civil services examination. In order to pursue his goal he wanted to opt for statistics as one of the core subjects at PU. “No government college has this subject and my parents cannot afford to send me to a private college. I am disappointed,” he said.
According to sources, statistics is being introduced as a subject for PU in a government PU College each at Kundapur, Belagavi, Hubballi, Chitradurga and Malleshwaram in Bengaluru.
Statistical knowledge helps students in using the proper methods to collect the data, employ the correct analyses, and effectively present the results.
Statistics is a crucial process behind how we make discoveries in science, make decisions based on data, and make predictions.
While at secondary school level there are chapters on statistics in mathematics, at PU level only two chapters on statistics are included in economics and studying those chapters will not help much in understanding the subject in its proper perspective.
“Many students passing out of government PU colleges and desirous of offering statistics as one of the core subjects along with economics at degree level will not be able to compete with those who have studied the subject at PU level. Statistics along with economics is a popular combination at undergraduate level,” said Gurumurthy, a teacher.
There are 1,284 government PU colleges in the state and initially, the government can introduce the subject in 5-6 colleges in each district.
There are several sanctioned posts of lecturers in various subjects vacant in the state. The PUE department director has the authority to convert some of existing vacant posts into posts of lecturers in statistics and fill them with guest lecturers.
There will be no shortage of students as those in arts, commerce and science streams can opt for statistics.
The elected representatives should evince interest in getting statistics introduced in the government PU colleges so that more students are attracted to these colleges and get the benefit.
“They should take up the issue with the minister and officials concerned”, said Gurumurthy.