The year 1950 can be considered as an important year in the history of Statistics at Banaras Hindu University when the teaching of the subject began for the first time at undergraduate and diploma levels. Another important activity took place in the history of the subject in the year 1962 when the teaching of Statistics was introduced at the post graduate level. Then teaching of Applied Statistics in the Section at undergraduate level started in the year 1970. Initially, Statistics was a section of the Department of Mathematics and Dr. Pran Nath was given the responsibility of teaching of the subject. Professor S. S. Shrikhande, a renowned name in the subject, later on became the In- charge of the Statistics Section, who was succeeded by Professor M. N. Ghosh in the year 1963. After Prof. Ghosh, all the responsibility went into the hands of Professor S. N. Singh. The faculty members of those days worked diligently under the noble guidance of Professor Singh towards the development of the Section and it was because of their untiring efforts that a full-fledged Statistics Department came into existence in January 1984. Professor S. N. Singh was appointed the first Head of the newly created Department of Statistics.

 

Department of Statistics, Banaras Hindu University has been one of the leading departments in the country. The University Grants Commission supported the department in the form of Special Assistance Programme (2009-14) and Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi helped it under its FIST Programme (2004-09). Besides, there is a Centre for Population Studies functioning under the department created by Population Council, USA in 1969. The present building of the Department is situated on the ground, first floor and second floor of the old Three Year Degree Course (T.D.C.) Building in the Institute of Science complex which is now popularly known in the university as Sankhyiki Bhawan.

 

The faculty members are engaged in several research areas in both theoretical and applied statistics and produced a number of very good publications in both national and international journals. The department is a popular centre for its researches in Population Studies and Bayesian statistics. Thrust area of research in Department is Classical and Bayesian Inferences, Reliability, Sampling Theory, Demography and Statistical Process Control. The Department involves full-time faculty members comprising of 8 Professors, 2 Associate Professors, 5 Assistant Professors. Presently, the Head of the Department is Prof. B.P. Singh.