- ✓Can I do an MSc in Statistics online in India?
- ✓Is an online MSc Statistics valid?
- ✓Which universities offer MSc Statistics by distance?
Statistics is a small field in online education. Many universities teach it online as part of an MBA or a data science programme, but only a handful are entitled to award a full master's degree in statistics online. Here is the 2026-27 list from the UGC-DEB register.
Short answer: yes, you can earn a UGC-valid MSc in statistics online in India. For the 2026-27 July session, the UGC-DEB programme register lists five online programmes: the MSc Statistics at Banasthali Vidyapith, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute and Mahatma Gandhi University, the MSc Applied Statistics at Symbiosis International and the MSc Biostatistics at Manipal Academy of Higher Education.
Six more institutions offer statistics by distance (ODL), which is a different entitlement.
- Online master's in statistics, 2026-27: 5 programmes at 5 universities
- Listed online for three sessions in a row: 4 of the 5
- Distance (ODL) MSc Statistics, 2026-27: 6 institutions
- Online bachelor's with statistics: one BA, as a subject option
- Same value as campus? Yes, Regulation 22 of the UGC ODL and Online Regulations, 2020
Which universities offer an online MSc in statistics for 2026-27?
The UGC-DEB HEI programme register records each entitlement by year, session and mode. These are the statistics entries marked Online for the 2026-27 July session:
| University | Type, state | Programme (as named in the register) | Also online in 2024-25 and 2025-26? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banasthali Vidyapith | Deemed University, Rajasthan | Master of Science (Statistics) | Yes |
| Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute | Deemed University, Tamil Nadu | Master of Science (Statistics) | Yes |
| Mahatma Gandhi University | State University, Kerala | Master of Science (Statistics) | Yes |
| Symbiosis International | Deemed University, Maharashtra | Master of Science (Applied Statistics) | Yes |
| Manipal Academy of Higher Education | Deemed University, Karnataka | Master of Science (Biostatistics) | No, first listed for 2026-27 |
Four of the five have appeared online for three sessions running. That matters, because online entitlement is granted session by session. The MAHE biostatistics programme is new on the online list for 2026-27.
An MSc in data science or business analytics is not an MSc in statistics. Check the exact programme name in the register, not the course page headline.
Statistics, applied statistics or biostatistics: which one fits?
An MSc Statistics is the general degree, covering probability, inference and statistical methods. Applied statistics puts more weight on using those methods on real data in business, economics and research. Biostatistics applies them to health, medicine and life sciences.
The register treats each as a separate programme. Read the syllabus on the university's own portal to see how much theory, software work and project work each one carries before you choose.
What about MSc Statistics by distance?
For 2026-27, six institutions hold a statistics master's in distance (ODL) mode: Osmania University, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Sri Venkateswara University, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open University and IGNOU, which lists an MSc Applied Statistics.
UGC treats online and distance as separate entitlements under the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020. In ODL, the university runs admissions, contact classes and exams within its territorial jurisdiction. Our explainer on what online education means under UGC rules sets out both modes side by side.
Is there an online bachelor's degree in statistics?
Not as a single-subject degree on the 2026-27 register. Choudhary Charan Singh University is entitled for an online BA in which statistics is one of the subject options, alongside mathematics and economics. Several other universities offer a BSc with statistics in a three-subject combination, but only by distance.
If mathematics is your stronger subject, the register lists the online MSc Mathematics at 29 universities for 2026-27. Our online MSc Mathematics hub lists the ones in our records.
Is an online MSc Statistics valid?
Yes, when the entitlement covers your programme and session. Regulation 22 of the 2020 regulations treats an entitled online degree as equivalent to the same degree earned on campus. Regulation 23(2) protects your admission if the university loses entitlement in a later year.
Eligibility, fees and seat numbers are set by each university and change by session. Check the current figures on the official portal and keep the written fee schedule with your admission receipt. For the wider picture of online PG study, see our guide to online master's and PG courses in India.
How to check a statistics programme yourself
- Open the HEI programme list on deb.ugc.ac.in.
- Search for the university and find the statistics row with the exact programme name.
- Check the year (2026-27), the session (July) and the mode column. It must read Online.
- Create your DEB ID before you enrol.
Our step-by-step guide on how to check UGC-DEB approval walks through each field of the register.
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Sources
- UGC-DEB HEI programme register (HEI_Prog_List), statistics entries for 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27, read on 2 November 2026: deb.ugc.ac.in
- UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, Regulations 4(C), 22 and 23: deb.ugc.ac.in/Regulations
Checked against the UGC-DEB register on 3 November 2026. Programme names are given as the register lists them. Entitlements are granted by session and can change. Confirm the current position on deb.ugc.ac.in before you enrol.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. For the 2026-27 July session, the UGC-DEB programme register lists five online master's programmes in statistics: the MSc Statistics at Banasthali Vidyapith, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute and Mahatma Gandhi University, the MSc Applied Statistics at Symbiosis International and the MSc Biostatistics at Manipal Academy of Higher Education.
Yes, when the university is UGC-DEB entitled for that programme in online mode for your session. Regulation 22 of the UGC ODL and Online Regulations, 2020 treats an entitled online degree as equivalent to the same degree earned on campus.
For 2026-27 the register lists the MSc Statistics in distance (ODL) mode at Osmania University, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Sri Venkateswara University, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University and U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open University, and the MSc Applied Statistics at IGNOU. Distance mode ties admissions and exams to the university's territorial jurisdiction.
Not as a single-subject degree on the 2026-27 register. Choudhary Charan Singh University is entitled for an online BA in which statistics is one of the subject options.
Applied statistics covers statistical methods used across business, economics and research. Biostatistics applies them to health, medicine and life sciences. The register lists them as separate programmes, so check the exact programme name on your offer letter.
Regulation 4(C)(ii) of the 2020 regulations prohibits online delivery of a programme that needs practical or laboratory work, unless the practical part is limited to programming and coding, including software tools. Ask the university in writing how its statistics practicals are run online.
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