PhD in Economics: Course Fees, Admission 2026, Syllabus, Top Colleges, Career Scope

Updated on May 15, 2025 10:22 IST

The term PhD full form is Doctor of Philosophy in Economics. The course teaches the students the skills to study the finite resources. A PhD is the highest qualification. There is no fixed duration and a student can also specialize in different branches like Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, International Economics and Business Economics

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PHD in Economics Course Details: Highlights

Candidates can see the key highlights below:

Particulars 

Details 

Course Name

Ph.D in Economics 

Course level 

Doctorate

Admission Procedure

Merit and Entrance Based.

Entrance Exams

UGC NET  and GATE

Course Fees 

INR 15,000 to INR 1.5 Lakh

Salary in India

INR 8-15 LPA. 

Job Profiles 

Professor, Financial Analyst, Investment Banker

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.

 

Q:   What is economics all about?
A:
Economics is the study of how societies use scarce resources to produce valuable commodities and distribute them among different people. Behind this definition are two key ideas in economics: goods are scarce and that society must use its resources efficiently.
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Q:   What is the scope of agricultural economics?
A:
Most of the industries depend on the raw material produced by agriculture, so agriculture is the principal source of raw material to the industries. The industries like cotton textile, jute, paper, sugar depends totally on agriculture for the supply of raw material. The small scale and cottage industries like hand loom and power loon, ginning and pressing, oil crushing, rice husking, sericulture fruit processing, etc. are also mainly agro based industries.
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Table of contents
  • PhD in Economics Eligibility Criteria
  • PhD in Economics Admission 2025
  • PhD in Economics Entrance Exams 2025
  • PhD Economics Syllabus 2025
  • Best PhD in Economics Colleges in India
  • Popular Private Ph.D. in Economics Colleges in India
  • PhD in Economics Career Scope: Job Profiles, Salary and Top Recruiters
  • PhD Economics FAQs: 2025
  • Popular Ph.D. in Economics Specializations
  • Course Cutoffs
View More

PhD in Economics Eligibility Criteria

Candidates can see the PhD in Economics eligibility below:

Criteria Requirements
Academic Qualification
Bachelor's degree 4 years, including 1 year of research in Economics or a relevant field from a recognized university or Master's degree in Economics or a relevant field from a recognized university.
Minimum Marks
Minimum 55% marks or equivalent CGPA in the Master's degree. 
Entrance Exams
Many colleges require a valid score in national or university-level entrance exams like UGC NET, CSIR NET and GATE.
Research Proposal
Some colleges may require a research proposal outlining the intended research topic.
Interview
Shortlisted students often undergo an interview to assess their research aptitude and suitability for the program.

Age Limit 

No prescribed age limit.

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.
 

Q:   Can I do Ph.D. in economics after MBA in finance.
A:
Yes, you can do Ph.D. in economics after MBA in finance as you are eligible for doing Ph.D. in Business Economics. To be eligible for Ph.D. course, you should have completed Masters degree with above 55% marks from a recognised university. You should also have a Bachelor's degree in economics / Bachelor in technology in economics from a recognised university. MBA in finance will help if Ph.D. in economics involves higher level math.
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Q:   What are the career options in economics?
A:
There are multiple good career options available for graduate/ postgraduates in Economics. You can join MNCs, BFSI (Banking Financial Services & Insurance) companies as research analysts, Indian Economic Services, Civil Services, RBI, PO in banks , BPO, KPO, PSUs, private companies , Armed Forces as officer, academics etc .
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PhD in Economics Admission 2025

You can have a general overview of the PhD in Economics admission process below. These are the basic requirements. You need to fulfil them.

  • Make sure you meet the eligibility
  • Apply online by flling up the form
  • Take entrance exam
  • Wait for the merit list and result
  • If selected, attend the counselling session
  • Get the documents verified and pay the fee to secure the seat

Note: The info is taken from other sites and can be different.

PhD in Economics Entrance Exams 2025

Candidates can see the list of exams below:

PhD Economics Entrance Exam

Entrance Exam Schedule

GATE

GATE Exam Date 

UGC NET

UGC NET Exam Date 

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.
 

Important Exam Dates

DatesUpcoming Exam Dates
28 Jan ' 26 - 22 Mar ' 26

NPAT Registration Window (Phase - 1)

ONGOING
02 Feb ' 26 - 31 Mar ' 26

IPU CET 2026 Application Form Availability

ONGOING
10 Nov ' 25 - 08 Apr ' 26

KIITEE 2026 Registration - Phase 1

ONGOING
Feb ' 26

JEST 2026 Application Window

TENTATIVE
10 Feb ' 26 - 31 Mar ' 26

NPAT 2026 Exam Dates (Phase 1)

23 Mar ' 26 - 26 May ' 26

NPAT Registration Window (Phase - 2)

01 Apr ' 26 - 02 Jun ' 26

NPAT 2026 Exam Dates (Phase 2)

DatesPast Exam Dates
Jan ' 26

TIFR GS Final Answer

To Be Notified

YCMOU 2026

14 Dec ' 25

TIFR GS 2026 Exam

Q:   What is the exam pattern of UGC NET?
A:

According to the latest NTA UGC NET Exam Pattern exam consist 2 papers. Although, it will be conducted without any break in the fixed time duration of 3 hours, which means exam is conducted in single session. Exam is totally computer based. There is no negative marking so attempting all questions is compulsory. Both papers consist only MCQs. Paper 1 consist 50 questions of total 100 marks in an hour whereas paper 2 consists 100 questions of total 200 marks in 2 hours. Paper 2 is based on subject questions opted by the candidate. Paper 1 is totally based on teaching / research aptitude, reasoning ability, comprehension and general awareness. Hope the information helps.

Q:   What is GATE 2026 Exam structure?
A:

GATE papers have three major sections; General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics & Specific Subject. There are 65 questions asked for 100 marks in GATE exam.  

General aptitude questions are asked for 15 marks, Engineering mathematics in some paper codes, 13 marks and the rest 72 marks from the chosen subject.  

In some paper codes engineering mathematics will be excluded only 15 marks general aptitude questions and rest 85 marks will be of chosen subject. 

PhD Economics Syllabus 2025

Candidates can see the PhD in Economics syllabus below:

PhD in Economics Syllabus

Research Methodology in Economics

Advanced Econometrics

Topics in Development Economics

Advanced Economic Theory

Econometric Methods

Topics in Financial Economics

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.
 

 

Q:   Can I do PhD in Economics through distance learning?
A:

Yes, you can pursue PhD Economics in distance mode. There are over 100 colleges in India that offer the course in distance mode out of which 52 are government colleges, 42 are private-run and 39 are semi-government colleges. Most of these colleges accept UGC NET, CSIR NET and GATE exam score for admission to the course. 

Q:   Who can pursue Economics courses?
A:

Anyone who wishes to pursue a promising career in academics or economic policy-making or the banking industry can pursue Economics.Those candidates who have pursued Mathematics are favoured for UG courses in Economics since Statistics is one of the major subjects offered both in UG and PG courses in Economics.Many candidates also aspire to join government services through UPSC CSE, or State PSCs or UPSC IES and Economics is a popular optional subject in these examinations. Students who possess Research, Analytical, and Statistical skills can be admitted to Economics courses.

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Economics Career

Best PhD in Economics Colleges in India

There are more than 170 PhD in Economics colleges in India. You can see some top options for government and private PhD Economics colleges below.

Best Government PhD in Economics Colleges in India

See the list of popular government colleges in India that offer PhD in Economics below.

Best Government Colleges

Tuition Fees 

PSGCAS Coimbatore

INR 13,860

IGNOU

INR 50,400

TISS - Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai

INR 1.19 Lakh - INR 2.06 Lakh

Aligarh Muslim University

INR 35,520

Netaji Subhas Open University

INR 21,000

IIT Bombay

INR 8.08 Lakh

PSTU Hyderabad

INR 3,900

IIT Kanpur

INR 48,550

Guru Nanak Dev University

INR 40,400 - INR 1.15 Lakh

Patna University

INR 6,000

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.

Best Private PhD in Economics Colleges in India

Here's a list of popular private colleges in India that offer PhD in Economics below.

Best Private Colleges

Tuition Fees

Amity University, Noida

INR 3 Lakh - INR 16 Lakh

Mithibai College of Arts

INR 92,000

LPU - Lovely Professional University

INR 3 Lakh

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University

INR 4.2 Lakh

Goa University

INR 24,570

Parul University, Vadodara

INR 2.1 Lakh - INR 3 Lakh

MIT WPU

INR 3 Lakh

Ashoka University

INR 75,000

Flame University

INR 90,000

Christ - Delhi NCR Campus

INR 90,000

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.

 

22 Courses
55.95 K - 86.01 K
9.24 - 9.5 LPA

#1 NIRF

35 Courses
432 - 18.5 K
8.4 LPA

#3 NIRF

65 Courses
500 - 19.09 K
7 LPA

#2 NIRF

25 Courses
33.81 K - 50.45 K
5.4 LPA

#4 NIRF

1.4 L - 1.42 L
8 LPA

#5 NIRF

22.2 K - 6.82 L
5.5 - 6.22 LPA

#8 NIRF

Popular Private Ph.D. in Economics Colleges in India

1.07 L - 16 L
3.4

#75 India Today

Humanities & Social Sciences Applications open. Apply Now

80 K - 2.7 L

#85 The Week

1.6 L - 5.92 L
3.8

Humanities & Social Sciences Applications open. Apply Now

2.1 L

Humanities & Social Sciences Applications open. Apply Now

4 Courses
9 L
20 K - 6.4 L
4 - 8.2 LPA

Humanities & Social Sciences Applications open. Apply Now

PhD in Economics Career Scope: Job Profiles, Salary and Top Recruiters

Candidates who wish to make a career in the academics and wish to become a lecturer, professor or a researcher usually pursue PhD in Economics. Also, having a PhD in Economics degree make the career scope of an individual better and enhances the job prospects. 

Top PhD in Economics Job Profiles

Candidates can see the list of jobs below:

Job Profiles

Average Annual Salary

Economist

4-6 lakh

Lecturer

5-7 lakh

Consultant

4-6 lakh

Professor

6-8 lakh

Advisor

4-6 lakh

Management Consulting

5-7 lakh

Accountant

6-8 lakh

Investment Analysis

7-9 lakh

PhD in Economics Top Recruiters

Candidates can see the list of recruiters below:

Top Recruiters for PhD in Economics
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Future Group
Grasim Honda Two-Wheelers Bank of India, Bharat forge
Microsoft BSNL
Mahindra Engineering Flipkart 
Cognizant  Infosys
Reliance Industries Limited Reliance
JCB Tata Power
Q:   Can candidates with a background in finance or economics apply for RBI Grade B directly?
A:

Candidates with any education background can apply for RBI Grade B exam for general post. Passed from a recognized Indian or foreign University or institute with a minimum of 60% mark can apply.

Q:   What are the job opportunities after completing PhD Economics?
A:

Economics is one of the most sought-after courses. There are several reasons why candidates should choose to pursue a PhD Economics course. Some of these reasons have been listed below:

  • A PhD degree in economics opens up many job opportunities in the business, corporate, and government sectors. 

  • The study of economics is directly applicable to the real world. A PhD in Economics will help the student navigate their own finances and they will learn to manage it. 

  • All MNCs and bigger companies hire candidates with an in-depth knowledge of Economics, to predict the market and help the company grow efficiently. These companies offer high salaries and other perks in return for their service.

  • Candidates who have completed PhD Economics can serve the nation through service as policy-makers, financial analysts, economic advisors, etc. for the government. 

  • Economics skills apply across industries and roles. PhD Economics graduates are also hired by public and private banks and other commercial companies.

  •  A PhD enhances one's career prospects and serves as a gateway to a career in academia. 

PhD Economics FAQs: 2025

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to PhD Economics:

Q:   Why economics is called the Science of Choice?
A:

Economics is a social science as it explains how our individual choices effect society by using a price mechanism. As consumers we like cheap prices, because we can buy more things that we like. And we decide on what we buy by looking at the prices and seeing what products we want. When given a price an individual is given the choice to buy or not, it is their decision to make. Economics studies the variables that effect the decision of multiple individuals. This includes the price and the alternative products available to buy. If there aren't any choices to make then we all do the same thing and there are no decisions to study and no need for economics.

Q:   What is the scope after qualifying UGC NET?
A:

This is for the candidates who want to do PhD research or become Assistant professor. However, other career options can be PSUs jobs as well.

The candidates who do not want to join any PSU can take up other options like online tutor, open their own coaching centres, guest faculty, consultant, Lab Trainer, IP lead, Author, Editor, Executive, Program Executive, etc. 

For conclusion we can say that the candidates qualifying for the UGC NET exam can take up any job they want or start their ow business after clearing one of the most the toughest exams in India.

Popular Ph.D. in Economics Specializations

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

Popular Specializations

Course Cutoffs

The cutoffs of popular Ph.D. in Economics colleges is given below:
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Answered 22 hours ago

MET Institute of Management PhD eligibility has to be met to get admission in the institute. The general eligibility is to complete PG degree from a recognised university. Students who have cleared the University of Mumbai, PET exam or the NET-SET exam or hold an MPhil degree from any recognised uni

...Read more

A

Aishwarya Malhotra

Contributor-Level 10

Answered Yesterday

Hi.

  • The college, which is part of Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune (a deemed-to-be university), offers doctoral (Ph.D.) programs including in Physiotherapy.

  • It's designed for students who want to pursue advanced research in Physiotherapy and related fields.

 Eligibility

To be eligible for Ph.D.

...Read more

h

heena agrawal

Scholar-Level 17

Answered 3 days ago

Yes, CII School of Logistics Mumbai offers a PhD in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. This programme is a research-oriented doctoral-level degree and covers:

  • The latest trends in trends in automation and digitalization (Industry 4.0).

Students must complete the course eligibility and go through t

...Read more

C

Chikat Marchang

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 days ago

You can prepare for the following exams to get admission to a PhD in Psychology in India

PhD in Psychology Entrance ExamExam Schedule
UGC NETDecember 2026 (Tentative)
CSIR NETDecember 2026 (Tentative)
GATEFebruary 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026
VITREEDecember 2026 (Tentative)
LPU NEST20 Jan - 5 Feb 2026

Note - The information is taken from the official body of the exam.

Know more about -

Psychology Admission

R

Rashmi Srivastava

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

To study PhD at NIPER Guwahati students must complete the required eligibility of:

  • Having a PG degree in relevant stream such as Pharmaceutical sciences, Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Chemistry, or any related fields.
  • With degree scores of 60% (55% for SC/ST) minimum while the selection process depend

...Read more

C

Chikat Marchang

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 5 days ago

Some of the top PhD colleges in India with low fees are here. Take a look

PhD Colleges in IndiaCourse Fees
SRM ISTINR 72,000
IIT KanpurINR 48,550
PhD TrichyINR 45,000
IIT GuwahatiINR 20,000
Jamia Millia IslamiaINR 31,810
Manipal University, JaipurINR 81,900

Note - The information is taken from the official body of the college. 

Know more about -

PhD Colleges in India

S

Shikha Arora

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 6 days ago

IIT Patna application process is conducted in an online mode. Check below the steps to apply for IIT Patna PhD programme:

  • Visit the official website of IIT Patna and click on application link.
  • Fill all the personal and educational details in the form.
  • Upload the documents.
  • Pay the application fee.
  • Submit

...Read more

V

Vishakha Saxena

Contributor-Level 8

Answered a week ago

Technical University of Munich provides a 3-year PhD programme through the TUM school of Management. The programme will help to gain understanding about basics of gain understanding about basics of Strategic Management, Operations, Finance, Marketing and Tech Management, and more. International appl

...Read more

A

Akansha katariya

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

International applicants, who are looking for career as Professor, Consultant, Market Research Lead, and more should choose Ph.D. at Technical University of Munich. Technical University of Munich provides a 3-4 year PhD programme through the Graduate school of TUM, or TUM school of Management or mor

...Read more

G

Gunjan Aggrawal

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

GPA score are one of the important factor during admission and are submitted by students to improve their profiles. Students should aim 3.5 or higher to get considered by the TUM.

J

Jasleen Shukla

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

As per a renowned ranking body, TUM is popular for various courses. The most chosen programme by Indians is Management. The programme will help to gain understanding about basics of Strategic Management, Operations, Finance, Marketing and Tech Management, and more.

M

Mukul Thapa

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

Indian students can get into the Technical University of Munich PhD programme by submitting proof of their qualification, work proof, and a GPA score. Students have to submit LOR, essay, SOP, transcripts, resume, and English language requirements.

P

Piyush Pandey

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

Technical University of Munich provides a 3-4-year PhD programme to international students. These programs are available in the different school of TUM. The programs is available through Graduate school of TUM, or TUM school of Management or more based on the program. The first-year tuition fee is n

...Read more

R

Rashmi Singh

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

The minimum eligibility for PhD at Department of Law, MDU is having a Master's degree with a minimum of 55% aggregate or its equivalent B grade in UGC seven-point scale in the subject concerned or an allied subject. Yes, you are eligible for PhD at the university.

h

heau mishr

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

There are 11 research specialisations available for PhD courses at IIT Guwahati. These specialisations may or may not be available under all categories of PhD courses at IIT Guwahati. PhD specialisations at IIT Guwahati include the following:

  • Computer Science and Engineering    
  • Electronics and Electr

...Read more

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, the hostel services are offered to PhD students of IIT Guwahati. However, only the regular category PhD course students receive hostel service from IIT Guwahati.

Non regular category PhD students are not offered any hostel services and are required to find off site arrangements.

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

The PhD students of IIT Guwahati who secured admissions under the Industry-Sponsored category will be charged INR 5 Lacs per semester as PhD fees.

This makes the total PhD fees for these students INR 40 Lacs at IIT Guwahati. However, this is the only fees mentioned for these students on the website.

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, the PhD students of Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme of IIT Guwahati are offered financial assistance. The students of this scheme are eligible to get the following:

  • Fellowship: Rs. 38,750/month in 1st and 2nd years. Rs. 43,750/month for 3rd, 4th and 5th years.
  • Contingency Grant: Rs. 1,20,000/year.
  • Suppor

...Read more

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, candidates belonging to special categories are offered a relaxation of fees for PhD courses at IIT Guwahati. The admission fees for PhD courses is currently unknown at IIT Guwahati.

However, the application fees for PhD admissions is only 50% for the special category candidates.

The PhD applicati

...Read more

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

IIT Guwahati requires candidates to present a different set of documents based on their chosen PhD course category during admissions. 

The following documents in digital form must be provided to apply for IIT Guwahati PhD courses:

  • Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets
  • Bachelor's degree certificate & markshe

...Read more

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

No, the registration dates for all accepted entrance exams for PhD admissions at IIT Guwahati have been closed at this point. Currently, most entrance exams are still in the phase of result declaration.

The registrations for most of the accepted entrance exams for PhD admissions at IIT Guwahati are o

...Read more

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Yes, candidates can get admissions into the PhD course at IIT Guwahati without any work experience. However, only the regular category PhD courses accept admission of such candidates.

Every non regular PhD course admission only selects candidates with a work experience between one - three years.

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

The PhD admissions to the Institute Assistantship courses at IIT Guwahati require candidates to appear for the GATE or CEED. 

However, PhD admissions to the other categories of PhD courses at IIT Guwahati are not decided on the basis of the aforementioned entrance exams scores.

 

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Some of the top colleges for a PhD in Aerospace Engineering in India are here. Take a look

PhD in Aerospace Engineering CollegesCourse Fees
IIT BombayINR 6.78 Lakh
IIT KanpurINR 48,550
Lovely Professional UniversityINR 3 Lakh
Amity University, NoidaINR 3 Lakh
Karunya Institute of Technology and SciencesINR 1.2 Lakh
Amity University, MumbaiINR 1.92 Lakh

Note - The information is taken from the official site of the college.

Know more about -

Aerospace Engineering Colleges in India

M

Mohit Datta

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

Harvard University provides a 5-year PhD programme through the John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science. The programme will help to gain understanding about basics of Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, Economics, Networks, Data Management, Operating Systems, and more. Internatio

...Read more

E

Esha Tiwari

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

International applicants, who are looking for career as Lead Scientist, Researcher, Professor, Data Scientist, developer, and more should choose Ph.D. at Harvard University. Harvard University provides a 5-year PhD programme through the John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science. The m

...Read more

J

Jiya Chauhan

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

GMAT and GREs are one of the crucial criteria during admission and are submitted by students to improve their profiles. 58% class submitted GMAT scores, and 42% submitted GRE scores. There is no ideal score provided by students to get into the Harvard Ph.D.

N

Nishtha Gupta

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

As per a renowned ranking body, Harvard is popular for various courses. The most chosen programme by Indians is Computer Science. The programme will help to gain understanding about basics of Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, Economics, Networks, Data Management, Operating Systems, and more.

A

Akansha katariya

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

Indian students can get into the Harvard university PhD programme by submitting proof of their qualification, work proof, and a GPA score. Students have to submit LOR, essay, SOP, transcripts, resume, and English language requirements.

T

Taru Bhandari

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a week ago

Based on the type of course, SOP should include these pointers

  • For MS Highlight your research experiences, academic accomplishments, and how the programme can help you attain your professional objectives.
  • SOP for MBA should have your professional background, leadership abilities, and how the MBA will

...Read more

R

Raushan Madavi

Contributor-Level 6