BA Economics Subjects & Syllabus 2026: Download Semester-wise PDF, Important Books

Updated on Apr 21, 2025 06:01 IST
Akansha Bisht

Akansha BishtSenior Executive

BA Economics is a 3-year under-graduation course which can be pursued by students after completing their Class 12 from a recognized board of India. BA Economics is one of the specializations of Bachelor of Arts which requires a minimum percentage of 45% in Class 12 for admission in most colleges of India.

BA Economics Subjects are generally include 14 core courses, 8 elective courses, and 4 skill & ability enhancement courses, which is covered into 6 semesters in 3 years. Most colleges follow learning outcome-based approach, graduate attributes, program objectives, and evaluation schemes for better learning of students.

Most admissions to BA Economics courses are based on merit, but some popular colleges may also ask for entrance exam scores for accepting admission. BA Economics course is popular among UPSC preparing students and provide an edge over preparation.

How many semesters are there in BA Economics?

There are a total of 6 semesters covered in 3-year duration in BA Economics course which may differ for different colleges in India. Each semester is divided into core courses, discipline specific electives, general electives, career enhancements and ability enhancements courses. BA Economics course is distributed in approximately 148 credits from each course in many colleges of India.

The following table shows a general overview of the BA Economics syllabus provided in most government and private colleges of India.

BA Economics Subjects Particulars

BA Economics Subjects Details

Core Courses

14 (6 credits each)

Discipline Specific Electives

4 (6 credits each)

Generic Electives

4 (6 credits each)

Skill Enhancement Courses

2 (4 credits each)

Ability Enhancement Compulsory Courses

2 (4 credits each)

Note - The information above is taken from official sites and may vary.

BA Economics: Core Subjects List

There are 14 core subjects under BA Economics course which is compulsory for all students. The core subject list and numbers may vary for different colleges in India. Students can check a general overview of the core courses in BA Economics Subject taught in most colleges of India in the following table.

BA Economics Semesters

Core Subjects Topics

BA Economics Semester 1

·       Mathematical Methods for Economics I

·       Introductory Micro -economics

BA Economics Semester 2

·       Mathematical Methods for Economics II

·       Introductory 2 Macroeconomics

BA Economics Semester 3

·       Intermediate Microeconomics I

·       Intermediate Macroeconomics I

·       Statistical Methods for Economics

BA Economics Semester 4

·       Intermediate Microeconomics II

·       Intermediate Macroeconomics II

·       Introductory Econometrics

BA Economics Semester 5

·       Indian Economy I

·       Development Economics I

BA Economics Semester 6

·       Indian Economy II

·       Development Economics II

Note - The information above is taken from external sites and may vary.

BA Economics: Elective Subjects List

There are 8 complusory elective courses which is chosen from a list of elective courses provided in BA Economics course in most colleges of India. The elctive subject list and number may vary for different colleges in India. Students can check some of the BA Economics elective subjects provided in colleges of India from the following table.

BA Economics Subjects Types of Electives

BA Economics Elective Subjects

General Elective

·       General Elective I

·       General Elective II

Discipline Specific Elective

·       Game Theory

·       International Trade

·       Public Economics

·       Financial Economics

·       Applied Econometrics

·       Economic History of India (1857-1947)

·       Political Economy I

·       Economics of Health and Education

·       Environmental Economics

·       Open Economy Macroeconomics

·       Money and Financial Markets

·       Comparative Economic Development (1850- 1950)

·       Law and Economics

·       Political Economy II

Skill Enhancement Courses

·       Data Analysis

·       Research Methodology

·       Contemporary Economic Issues

Ability Enhancement Compulsory Courses

·       Art of Communication

·       Environmental Science

Note - The information above is taken from external sites and may vary.

BA Economics: Elective Subjects in Top Colleges

As mentioned earlier, BA Economics subjects have different electives in different colleges of India. There are two types of elective courses such as general elective and discipline specific elective. Students can check the general elective course topics for BA Economics course in best colleges of India from the following table.

BA Economics Best Colleges

General Elective Subjects

Hansraj College

·       Introductory Microeconomics

·       Introductory Macroeconomics

·       Data Analysis

·       Money and Banking

·       Indian Economy I

·       Economic History of India

·       Public Finance

·       Indian Economy II

·       Global Political Economy

·       Game Theory

St. Xavier’s College Mumbai

·       Advanced Macroeconomics

·       Macroeconomics: Theory and Practice

·       Economic Development: Policy & Applications

·       Introduction to Political Economy

·       International Finance: Theory & Policy

·       Mathematical Techniques for Economics

·       Indian Financial Markets

Miranda House

·       Introductory Microeconomics

·       Introductory Macroeconomics

·       Money and Banking

·       Global Political Economy

Lady Shri Ram College for Women

·       Introductory Microeconomics

·       Introductory Macroeconomics

·       Money and Banking

·       Global Political Economy

Kirori Mal College

·       Introduction

·       Consumer Theory

·       Production and Costs

·       Perfect Competition

·       Financial markets: Introduction

·       Interest Rates

·       Central Banking and Monetary policy

Note - The information above is taken from external sites and may vary.

BA Economics: Popular Books and Authors

Some of the most popular books taught and studied by students in most colleges of India for BA Economics courses along with their authors are: 

BA Economics Popular Books

Author Name

Mathematics for Economic Analysis

Sydsaeter, K., Hammond, P

Microeconomics

Bernheim, B., Whinston, M

Principles of Economics

Mankiw, N

Mathematics for Economic Analysis

Sydsaeter, K., Hammond, P

Macroeconomics

Blanchard, O.

An Introduction to Game Theory

Osborne, M.

Indian Economy

Misra & Puri

Development Economics

Debraj Ray

Note - The information above is taken from external sites and may vary.

Distance BA Economics Syllabus

Here are some of the best Distance BA Economics colleges in India along with their course fees.

Distance BA Economics Colleges in India Total Tuition Fees (annually)
IGNOU 9,600 - 12,000
University of Madras 16,710
University of Mumbai 17,460
NSOU Kolkata 9,900
Tamil Nadu Open University 3,000

Note - The information above is taken from external sites and may vary.

BA Economics Subjects in Best Colleges

The following table shows detailed syllabus link for BA Economics course which is taught in best colleges of India.

Best BA Economics Colleges in India

BA Economics Syllabus

Hansraj College

BA Economics Syllabus

St. Xavier’s College

BA Economics Syllabus

Miranda House

BA Economics Syllabus

Lady Shri Ram College for Women

BA Economics Syllabus

Kirori Mal College

BA Economics Syllabus I

 BA Economics Syllabus II

Hindu College

BA Economics Syllabus

Loyola College

BA Economics Syllabus

Note - The information above is taken from external sites and may vary.

Table of contents
  • Popular BA Economics Colleges in India
  • Popular Private BA Economics Colleges in India
  • Popular BA Economics Specializations
  • Most Popular Courses

Popular BA Economics Colleges in India

Following are the most popular BA Economics Colleges in India. Learn more about these BA Economics colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
4 Courses
540
8.4 LPA

#5 India Today

4 Courses
19.01 K - 19.09 K
7 LPA

#2 India Today

2 Courses
86.01 K
9.5 LPA

#1 India Today

5 Courses
47.45 K - 49.3 K
5.4 LPA

#4 India Today

1 Course
540
4.62 LPA

#6 India Today

5.0
3.44 LPA

Popular Private BA Economics Colleges in India

1 Course

Economics Applications open. Apply Now

1.05 L

#122 India Today

3.78 L

Economics Applications open. Apply Now

1.26 L
3.5
3 L

Popular BA Economics Specializations

Following are the most popular BA Economics Specializations . You can explore the top Colleges offering these Specializations by clicking the links below.

Popular Specializations

qna

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 23 hours ago

This depends upon your future career path. If you want to join the field of research, academics, or policymaking, then you should go for MA Economics. 

But if you are interested in management careers, then choose MBA Economics.

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Bhavya Jain

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There is no fixed percentage cutoff for every year. However based on recent merit lists the BA Arts cutoff generally falls around 35% to 55% (Class 12 marks) for most categories depending on the round and seat availability.  Since BA is a non-technical course, admission is mostly merit-based and rel

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Anjali Kashyap

Beginner-Level 4

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With a CUET PG 2026 score of 164 and a B.A. Economics from GITAM University, your chances of getting into top universities like Delhi University (DU), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), or the University of Hyderabad are likely to be limited in the General category, as their M.A. Economics cut-offs are

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Anjali Kashyap

Beginner-Level 4

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Candidates need minimum 55% aggregate in Class 12 or equivalent and Mathematics as one of the subject from any recognised board to be eligible for admission in BSc Economics at Adamas University.

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Saumya Gairola

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

University of Gottingen is generally considered the better option for Indian students interested in a more research-oriented Economics degree. Gottingen maintains an excellent reputation for empirical methods, econometrics, and development economics.

However, students interested in a more practical d

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Akash Gaur

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Bocconi ranks among the top 10 universities in Europe and top 15-30 globally for Business, Management, and Economics. Given below is how the university ranks for these programs:

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Akash Gaur

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Banaras Hindu University 

University of Delhi 

Savitribai Phule Pune University (Pune)Aligarh Muslim University (Aligarh)

University of Hyderabad (Hyderabad)

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Monami Roy

Beginner-Level 2

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The 5 year integrated BS-MS in Economics at IIT Roorkee is a highly analytical programme. It uniquely blends traditional economic theory with heavy quantitative, statistical & programming skills like Python, R & STATA making graduates highly competitive in the finance, banking & data sectors.

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Rashmi Sinha

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Saumya Gairola

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Answered a month ago

Documents required for BSc (Hons) Economics admission in UPES Knowledge Acres are Class 10 Marksheet, Class 12 Marksheet, National Level Exam Score (If any), Migration / Transfer Certificate, Student Aadhar Card, PAN Card of Student and Parents.

Uttarakhand domicile students have to submit Domicile C

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Saumya Gairola

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Saumya Gairola

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Application fee to apply for BSc (Hons) Economics in UPES at its Knowledge Acres campus is INR 1,750. Students can pay this fee online while submitting the application form for the course.

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Saumya Gairola

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Candidates need to get minimum 50% in Class 10 and Class 12 to be eligible for BSc (Hons) Economics at UPES Knowledge Acres. Eligible candidates can admission through valid score in CUET/SAT/ IB/ CIE and performance in Personal Interview. 

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Saumya Gairola

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UPES offers BSc (Hons) Economics & Finance and BSc (Hons) Economics with Data Science through School of Liberal Studies & Humanities at its Knowledge Acres (Kondali) campus. The course duration is 3+1 years.

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Saumya Gairola

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Hostel facility is provided by UPES for BSc (Hons) Economics students of School of Law, UPES Knowledge Acres campus. Accommodation is provided on-campus on first come, first serve basis. There are separate rooms for boys and girls on triple sharing basis. 

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Merit scholarships for BSc (Hons) Economics in UPES Knowledge Acres campus are applicable for tuition fee of the first year only. If a student meets eligibility for more than one scholarship at UPES, he/she will get the highest of the scholarship/concession offered but not both.

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Yes, MS in Applied Economics & Finance course of UC Santa Cruz is a STEM OPT course. This course is of 1-year duration. It is one of the top picked course among Indian students. The graduates of this course have gone into Tech giants like Apple, Google, Amazon, Twitter, Bloomberg, etc. For admission

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Gunjan Thapa

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Answered a month ago

The best universities in Europe for bachelor's in  economics are

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Rashmi Shekhar

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Candidates must pass bachelor's degree with a minimum of 55% aggregate to apply for MS in Economics programme at Ahmedabad University. Aspirants must also have a score in CAT/ GATE/ JAM/ CUET-PG/ AMSOM Postgraduate Aptitude Test for admission. Selected candidates also have to pass PI round for final

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Nishtha Shukla

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Yes, you can get admission in MSc Economics at ICFAI School of Social Sciences without entrance exam as admission is based on merit in academics. But you have to attend the personal interview conducted by the institute as part of admission process.

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Saumya Gairola

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Eligible applicants are invited for a personal interview as part of the admission process for MSc Economics in ICFAI School of Social Sciences. Selected students have to pay admission fee of INR 20,000 on the day of the interview to confirm seat.

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Saumya Gairola

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To be eligible for MSc Economics in ICFAI School of Social Sciences, candidates must get minimum 50% marks in Graduation with Economics / Statistics / Mathematics / Commerce / Business / Accounts as a discipline or subject.

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Nishtha Singh

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Raushan Pradhan

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