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Master of Arts [MA] (Economics)

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What is the eligibility criteria for an MA in economics admission at DU?

Mallika Shrivastava

07 Oct 22

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

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.
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.

What are the placements after an MA in economics from JNU?

Ujoini Ghose

22 Nov 21

Economics offers many career options. Having a master’s degree in Economics from JNU will offer you many placement opportunities. Here are some of the career paths that you can choose after the completion of your degree.

Quite a few companies visit the JNU campus every year to recruit students in data analyst and research analyst profiles. The average package offered in the placement drive is 9 LPA. However, not all students get placement offers. So, you want to work in a data incentive profile, it’s better to go for institutes like DSE, ISI, IGIDR, etc.
Many students chose to pursue higher education. You can do M.Phil or integrated M.Phil-P.hD. JNU is a great option for pursuing higher studies in Economics. After completing your degree, you can teach and continue research.
You can appear for civil service examinations.
If you want to work in research domain but are not necessarily willing to pursue a P.hD, you can join think tanks. But you should keep in mind that getting into credible think tanks is not easy.
You also have the option to take examinations for RBI and EXIM Bank. A background in Economics is a must for these examinations.

No matter what you choose to do, the competition is quite hard. So, you will have to work accordingly.

How do I go about choosing between JNU and DSE for MA Economics?

Salini Roy

18 Oct 21

Both the courses are distinct from one another.

At DSE, they train you rigorously in mathematics. And this is an important part of your journey but that is about the only part DSE focuses on. Economic theory at DSE will give you an edge over a lot of other institutions and get your foot in the door inside a lot of big names in finance.

Now coming to JNU, they don’t give a lot of emphasis on Maths but they make sure you read a lot more than you will read at DSE. This means you build a well-rounded view of the world and how economies function. This is a good thing as it will help you very much in mainstream research and things like journalism where you need to know a lot of things.

Also, at JNU reading thoroughly is a part of the curriculum which is not the same in DSE. With the curriculum at JNU, you will discover different schools of thought and learn to think for yourself.

Overall, choosing JNU will be better.

How should I prepare for MA Economics entrances for JNU and DSE in 45 days?

Disha Dey,

10 Nov 21

Preparing for MA Economics entrances for JNU and DSE will need immense concentration and dedication. You will need to prioritize to keep everything in balance. Here are some things you can go through:

The core subjects include Mathematics, Statistics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics. Select any 3 out of these 5 subjects which you feel are your strengths.
Revise the basics from your graduation notes and practice past year exam papers.
For the subjects you feel you are weaker in, revise the basics. Do not spend too much time on them.
Practice questions from past years.
Analyse the topics in which you are lagging behind and try to read those in detail. You can also skip some topics too.
For Statistics, focus more on Permutations and Combinations, Probability, Discrete and Continuous Random Variables.
DSE requires a mathematical approach and proper concentration. So practice past year papers and do not forget concepts.

The books you can refer to are: Dornbush and Blanchard for Macroeconomics. Hal Varian, Nicolson, and Pyndick for Microeconomics. Hammond and Chiang for Maths. SC Gupta and Miller for Statistics and finally Gujarati for Econometrics.

What are good reference books for an MA in economics from IGNOU?

Divya Sharma

30 Oct 22

If you want to score good marks in MA economics, take a look at these important sites and books.

Sites:

Economic Discussion- This website has been specially designed for economic students. Here various economic professors and students have shared economics theory in a crisp and easy manner.
Investopedia: This website is suitable for not only economics students but also for finance students. Their USP is their regular update on economic and financial terms in your email.
Your article library: This one is somewhat similar to Economic Discussion.

Books:

Gullybaba: The language used in this book is easy to understand. You can understand the concepts quickly and score good marks.
Neeraj: The language in this book is a bit more complex than Gullybaba. But compared to the IGNOU study materials it’s still easy.

The above sources of study material will help you score better marks for IGNOU MA Economics.

I am pursuing MA economics from IGNOU. What are the books which we should follow?

Harish Kumar

19 Oct 22

The study material provided by IGNOU is elaborate and more than enough. You don't really need books except for these 3 subjects:

MEC 001 Microeconomic Analysis: For the subject, you might need some extra notes. The best way is to google the topics. You can make notes on the numerical part especially. Usually, the numerical questions are the same as the previous years. Still, it is recommended that you don't skip the study material.

MEC 003 Quantitative Methods in Economics: For this subject, you can make the best use of YouTube videos. Also practising from the previous year's papers will prove to be very helpful.

MEC 105 Indian Economic Policy: The study material provided for this particular subject needs to be updated with the latest data and figures. So it's highly recommended that you prepare topic-wise notes after thorough study.

Ultimately focus on the syllabus whichever source you are referring to.

Am I eligible for applying to MA Economics in DSE if I have an undergraduate degree in Computer Science Engineering?

Anshul Bhardwaj

13 Feb 23

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.

Is it really difficult to get into PhD economics programs of universities like DSE, ISI or JNU with an M.A. Economics degree from IGNOU?

Aarushi Kumar

03 Nov 22

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.

Is it wise to do an MA in economics from IGNOU while one is preparing for the RBI Grade B Exam? If yes, why and if not then why not?

Prateek Tomar

28 Oct 22

Pursuing MA in economics from IGNOU alongside preparing for RBI Grade B exam has its pros and cons both.

Pros:

It will make you eligible for RBI Grade B (DEPR) vacancies, for which competition would be lesser as compared to RBI Grade B (General). The probability of selection will be higher.
In future, if you need backup options, this degree will come to your rescue.
This degree will get you brownie points in an interview. The knowledge gained through the pursuit of the degree will be helpful in your career.
Will help with the Economic Issues portion of RBI.

Cons:

You might face serious time management issues.
If you decide to pursue MA in Economics alongside prepararing RBI Grade B Exam, it have its own respectve pros and cons.

Weighing the pros and cons you can make the decision based on your caliber and situation.

What is the syllabus of an MA in Economics at IGNOU?

Deepak Diwedi

30 Oct 22

The courses of MA in Economics at IGNOU for both years have been tabulated below:

First Year:

Course Code	Course Name	Credits
MEC-001	Micro Economics Analysis	6
MEC-002	Macro Economics Analysis	6
MEC-003	Quantitative Methods for Economic Analysis	6
MEC-004	Economics for Growth and Development	6
MEC-005	Indian Economic Policy	6

Second year:

Course Code	Course Name	Credits
MEC—006	Public Economics	6
MEC-007	International Trade and Fiance	6
MEC-008	Economics of Social Sector and Environment	6
MEC-009	Research Methods in Economics	6
MECP-001	Project Work	6
MECE-001	Economic Methods	6
MECE-003	Actuarial Economics: Theory and Practice	6
MECE-004	Financial Institutions and Markets	6
MECE-002	Computer Applications in Economic Analysis	6