ISS Syllabus 2026
Complete UPSC Indian Statistical Service Syllabus including Statistics I, II, III, IV, General English, General Studies, important topics, and exam pattern.
ISS Syllabus 2026 Overview
The Indian Statistical Service (ISS) Exam is conducted by UPSC for recruitment into Group A statistical services under the Government of India. The ISS syllabus mainly focuses on Statistics, Probability, Econometrics, Linear Models, Sampling Theory, and Applied Statistics.
ISS Exam Pattern 2026
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | General English | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Paper 2 | General Studies | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Paper 3 | Statistics-I | 200 | 2 Hours |
| Paper 4 | Statistics-II | 200 | 2 Hours |
| Paper 5 | Statistics-III | 200 | 3 Hours |
| Paper 6 | Statistics-IV | 200 | 3 Hours |
General English Syllabus
- Essay Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Precis Writing
- Grammar
- Vocabulary
- English Usage
General Studies Syllabus
- Current Affairs
- Indian Economy
- Indian Polity
- History
- Geography
- General Science
- Government Schemes
Statistics-I Syllabus
Probability
- Random Variables
- Probability Distributions
- Conditional Probability
- Bayes Theorem
- Central Limit Theorem
Statistical Methods
- Correlation
- Regression Analysis
- Curve Fitting
- Time Series
Numerical Analysis
- Interpolation
- Numerical Integration
- Differential Equations
Statistics-II Syllabus
Linear Models
- ANOVA
- ANCOVA
- Regression Models
- Design Matrices
Statistical Inference
- Estimation
- Hypothesis Testing
- Confidence Intervals
- Likelihood Ratio Tests
Sampling Techniques
- Simple Random Sampling
- Stratified Sampling
- Cluster Sampling
- Systematic Sampling
Statistics-III Syllabus
- Econometrics
- Applied Statistics
- Sampling Theory
- Time Series Analysis
- Index Numbers
- Official Statistics
Statistics-IV Syllabus
- Operations Research
- Reliability
- Demography
- Vital Statistics
- Quality Control
- Survival Analysis
- Multivariate Analysis
- Design of Experiments
Important Topics for ISS Preparation
- Probability
- Sampling Theory
- Statistical Inference
- Linear Models
- Econometrics
- Time Series
- Multivariate Analysis
Best Books for ISS Preparation
| Subject | Books |
|---|---|
| Probability | Sheldon Ross |
| Statistical Inference | Casella & Berger |
| Econometrics | Mostly Harmless Econometrics |
| Sampling | Cochran |
| Linear Models | Draper & Smith |
FAQs
Who conducts the ISS Exam?
UPSC conducts the Indian Statistical Service Examination every year.
Is ISS difficult?
The ISS Exam is competitive but manageable with proper preparation and strong Statistics fundamentals.
How many papers are there in ISS?
The ISS written examination contains 6 papers.
What is the most important subject in ISS?
Probability, Statistical Inference, Sampling Theory, and Econometrics are among the most important topics.
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