Ph.D. Entrance Examination (Economics): 2018

• Eligibility :
  • The candidate has to have either NET/SET/M.Phil. (from any recognized university with 2-semester/ 1-year course work) or has to qualify in the research entrance test (RET) conducted by the department.
  • Those who are expected to obtain M.Phil. in Economics (or related discipline like Development Studies, Foreign Policy Management, etc. with Masters degree in Economics) from any UGC recognized university by October 10, 2017 would also be exempted from RET and be eligible to appear directly in the interview.
• Procedure :
  • The Ph.D. entrance test of 100 marks for the suitable candidates will be held once in a year and the qualifying marks will be fixed at 50%;
  • At the most 20 candidates [with full concurrence with the reservation policy Rules 2013 [Sub-rule 1(e) of Rule 6])] will be enrolled this year (2018);
• Structure of the Examination :
  • The examination time will be one hour and thirty minutes.
  • There will be 40 multiple choice questions (MCQ), each of 2 marks;
  • There will be an essay of 20 marks;
  • Questions will be on Economic Theory, Quantitative Economics and Contemporary Global and Indian Economic Problems;
  • MCQs will be on Microeconomic Theory (12), Macroeconomic Theory (10), Statistics, Econometrics (10) and Mathematical Economics (8). The essay will be from Contemporary Global and Indian Economic Problems.
  • The eligible candidates identified through RET/ NET/ SET/ M. Phil have to submit statement of purpose (SoP) indicating the area of research interest (not exceeding 1000 words) on which a final interview will be conducted.
  • The SoP has to be submitted at the time of application itself.
  • Candidates with at least 55% marks in Economics at the Master’s level from any other UGC recognized university are eligible to take the examination. Candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/differently-abled and other categories as per the UGC norm need to have at 50% to sit in the examination. Those who have qualified in UGC/CSR (JRF)/NET/SET/SLET or already obtained M. Phil degree would be exempted from the examination.
  • The final selection of the candidates will be based on interview performance.
  • As per the University of Calcutta regulation 2016, the candidate’s interview performance will be judged on three criteria: the competence for the proposed research, whether the research work can be suitably undertaken at the Institution/College and whether the proposed area of research can contribute to new/additional knowledge. The marks divisions for each criterion in this case is as follows – 40% for the competence of the candidate for the proposed research, 20% for whether the research work can be suitably undertaken at the Institution/College and 40 % whether the proposed area of research can contribute to new/additional knowledge. The cut off qualifying marks for admission is 50% in interview.
  • The list of finally selected candidates would be posted in the Departmental Notice Board and in the University website;

• Syllabus :
  • Microeconomic Theory: Consumer Behaviour, Theory of Firm, Analysis of Market Structure, Theory of Distribution, General Equilibrium, Welfare Economics, Asymmetric Information, Public Goods & Externalities;
  • Macroeconomic Theory: National Income Accounting, Aggregate Demand-Simple Keynesian Model, IS-LM Model, Interaction Between Aggregate Demand & Aggregate Supply-Short-run & Long-run Equilibrium, Classical Full Employment Model- Determination of Real Wage, Interest Rate & Price Level, Demand for Money, Supply of Money, Consumption Function, Investment Function, Inflation, Trade-cycle & Growth, Open-economy Macroeconomics;
  • Statistics & Econometrics: Measures of Central Tendency, Dispersion, Higher Order Moments, Correlation, Theory of Probability, Theory of Statistical Inference, Classical Linear Regression Model (both 2-variable & k-variable cases)- Estimation, Hypothesis Testing & Prediction, Heteroscadasticity, Autocorrelation &Multicollinearity, Simultaneous Equation System & the Problem of Identification; Time Series and Panel Data Analysis;
  • Mathematical Economics: Optimization in Economics (Static & Dynamic), System of Simultaneous Equations and Cramer’s Rule, Input-Output Analysis, Linear Programming, Elements of Game Theory;
  • Contemporary Global and Indian Economic Problem: Globalisation and Economic Order, Indian Planning Experience, Post-plan Reforms and Indian Economic Issues.
• Important Dates :
  • Forms can be downloaded from the university website from : November 6, 2017 (Monday);
  • Application for Ph.D. program including that for the Research Entrance Test (RET) with SoP to be submitted by November 20, 2017 (Monday) in the Office of the Department of Economics, University of Calcutta;
  • Date of RET Examination : November 27, 2017 (Monday) at 3:30 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. in the Department of Economics, University of Calcutta;
  • Date of Publication of RET Result : December 1, 2017 (Friday);
  • Date of Interview : December 6 & 7, 2017 (Wednesday and Thursday) from 11:00 A.M. in the Department of Economics, University of Calcutta.