Hello aspirants,
Over the last 15 years, I’ve seen exam patterns come and go. I remember when Micro proofs were everything, then Macro models took over, and Maths used to scare everyone.
But right now, in December 2025, if there’s one section that has quietly become the real game-changer and rank-decider, it’s Statistics.
I’m not saying this to scare you. I’m saying this because our 2025 batch data proves it: students who scored 80%+ in Statistics sections consistently grabbed the top 20 ranks in ISI, high cut-offs in DSE CUET-PG, and safe zones in JNU. The ones who treated stats as “side syllabus” are now regretting it and planning another attempt.
Let me explain exactly why Statistics has become the new king — and more importantly, what you need to do about it starting today.
The Hard Evidence from Recent Cycles
- ISI MSQE The Indian Statistical Institute doesn’t hide it — it’s literally in the name. In the last 3 papers (2023–2025), Statistics + Econometrics combined crossed almost 30% weightage. Questions on MLE, hypothesis testing, order statistics, and Bayesian inference are no longer “one or two” — they are 10–12 mark deciders. Since interviews were dropped, your written test is everything. Nail stats → top-20 rank becomes realistic.
- DSE & JNU via CUET-PG Economics (COQP10) NTA has steadily increased the quantitative rigor. Stats now comfortably sits at 20–25% of the paper. Regression analysis, inference, probability distributions, and data-based questions are appearing more than ever. In 2025, many brilliant theory students scored 180–200 overall but lost 40–50 marks in stats — missing DSE by 10–15 marks.
- The Bigger Picture Modern economics is empirical. Universities want students who can handle data, test hypotheses, and understand econometric models — not just draw IS-LM curves. Environmental economics, development, and even macro questions now demand statistical thinking.
The Topics That Will Fetch You 30–50 Easy Marks in 2026
If you master these (properly, not just read), you’re looking at a massive rank boost:
- Probability Theory & Distributions
- Sampling & Estimation (MLE, MOM, UMVUE)
- Hypothesis Testing (Type I/II errors, p-values, power)
- Confidence Intervals
- Simple & Multiple Regression (OLS, assumptions, violations)
- Basic Econometrics (heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation, IV basics)
My Honest Advice as Your Tutor
I’ve taught over 2,000 students. Here’s what I tell every new batch:
- If you’re from non-maths background (B.A., B.Com): Stats is your golden opportunity. It’s more scoring than pure maths proofs once you get the logic. Start early — don’t leave it for the last 2 months.
- If you’re from maths/stats background: Don’t get overconfident. Exam-level rigour (especially ISI proofs) is different from undergrad syllabus.
- Everyone: Solve at least 500–700 quality problems. Reading theory won’t cut it.
How We’re Making Stats Easy for You at Ecopoint
We saw this trend coming two years ago and completely revamped our curriculum:
- 100+ hours dedicated Statistics module with step-by-step proof building
- Separate Econometrics beginner-to-advanced track
- 1,000+ handpicked problems (topic-wise + mixed) with video solutions
- Weekly timed tests — exactly like exam pressure
- Free “Stats Saviour” PYQ pack (top 100 questions from 2015–2025) — WhatsApp us and we’ll send it instantly
Our 2025 results speak for themselves: 60% of our ISI selects told us stats was their highest-scoring section.
Your Immediate 3-Step Plan (Start This Week!)
- Take a diagnostic: Solve the stats section of ISI 2024 or CUET-PG 2025 paper timed. Be honest with your score.
- Fix basics in 30 days: Use Hogg & Craig or Devore or Freund..
- Practice daily: around 10-20 problems minimum. Join a structured course if self-study feels scattered.
Don’t wait for notifications in February. The student who starts early is the one celebrating in June.
Still feeling lost about where to begin?
You’ve got this. Statistics isn’t scary — it’s your secret weapon for 2026.
Let’s turn it into your strongest section together.
Warm regards,
Vidhi Pant
Ecopoint
(10000+ DSE/ISI/JNU selections | 15+ years teaching experience)
P.S. Our 2026 batch —>Connect for Early-bird closes soon →