There are two main ways to get admission to the Delhi School of Economics (232 seats): direct admission (50%) and entrance test (50%): -

1. Direct Admission (116 seats) - Any applicant who has previously completed a B.A. (Hons.) in Economics from the University of Delhi with a minimum of 60% marks is eligible to apply in this category. Admissions under this category, on the other hand, are given to those who have had a very good academic record during their graduation. This admissions category is similar to the undergraduate cutoff system.

2. Entrance Test (116 seats) - Anyone with a 60% average in graduation/postgraduate studies (any subject from any recognised university) is eligible to take the entrance test.

Anyone who has completed his/her graduation in any stream can get admission to DSE for MA in Economics. The only eligibility criteria are at least 60% marks in the aggregate ( in the graduation program)

Earlier there was an additional requirement that the aspirant must have studied at least one Maths paper during their graduation. But the recent criteria do not even require that. However, DSE focuses a lot on Math, and having an Engineering background will definitely give you an edge over other candidates.

Recently DSE has witnessed many non-economic students willing to shift their careers in economics and want to pursue Master's in Economics. This shift among students stems from the increasing demand for economists globally in different domains of jobs like Analyst, Economist, Researcher, Data Scientist, etc.

As an MA in Economics aspirant, one thing to keep in mind is that although the entrance exam is easy, the program is quite rigorous and can be extremely stressful at times. So only a true Economics fan should go for it.

PhD or research is all about finding out new concepts. Thus we provide a deeper in already existing knowledge. PhD in Social Science is very much different from that of pure sciences, yet the goal is the same. As you know for doing research/PhD at the university level, the qualification required is PG degree. Every university has different criteria for selecting candidates.

As you know DSE, JNU, ISI, IEW, IIPA, and IIMs are the prime institutions for teaching, learning and researching in economics, management and public administration.

If you are willing to get into one of these institutions, a Master’s from IGNOU will have the same value as that from any other university. To get selected into these prestigious institutions, you will have to pass through a rigorous selection process of

• Entrance

• Group discussion 

• Personal interview 

Moreover you will have to provide testimonials from your professors about your academic developments.