Updated October 18, 2022
BA Economics or Bachelor of Arts in Economics is a 3 years UG course and one of the most sought-after programs in humanities. Students who aspire to a career in Banking, Finance, and other major corporate industries, opt for this course after 12th grade. The program is designed to teach the students various focal points of economics like contemporary issues, problems, and techniques to tackle them effectively.
For applying to this UG course, aspirants must have obtained a higher secondary degree with a minimum of 50% marks. Admissions to BA in Economics program are made based on both entrance exams performance or Merit of the candidates in their 12th grade. Some popular entrance exams for enrolling students in the program are JNUEE, DUET, JMI EEE, BHU UET, NPAT, IPU CET, PU CET, etc.
Several leading institutions, such as Indian Statistical Institute, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jadavpur University, etc., offer this UG course. The average course fees for pursuing BA in Economics at different institutions range from INR 15K to 150K per annum. The differences in the fee expenses of the program depend on the authority (Govt. or Public) and education quality of the institutions.
BA Economics Course Details
The table below highlights the Bachelor of Arts in Economics course.
| Name of the Course | BA Economics |
| Full Name | Bachelor of Arts in Economics |
| Education Level | Undergraduate |
| Course Duration | Three years |
| Minimum Education Qualification | Class 12th Board exams with 50% aggregate marks |
| Admission Process | Merit and Entrance Based |
| Entrance Exams | BHU UET, DUET, JNU EE, etc. |
| Course Fees Range | 15K to 150K Per Annum |
| Employment sectors | Government and Private Banks, Finance & Banking Sectors, Trade Markets, etc. |
| Job profiles | Economist, Statistician, Auditor, Financial Analyst, Financial Planner, etc. |
| Higher Studies Options | MA in Economics and PhD in Economics |
BA Economics Eligibility Criteria
Most institutions have similar standards for a BA in Economics program. However, there are some required criteria for eligibility that aspirants need to fulfill to be qualified for the program. Below are the minimum eligibility criteria that most institutions follow for offering the course.
- Aspirants should have cleared class 12th or equivalent in any stream from a recognized educational board.
- They should have also secured a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA in the 12th Board.
BA Economics Admission Process
The admission process for the BA Economics program varies from institution to institution. Some institutions grant admission based on the entrance exam results and some on marks in 12th grade. We have discussed below the various processes involved in giving access to the program.
Entrance Based Admission
- Aspirants need to apply and appear for the entrance exams of the respective institutions they have chosen.
- After conducting entrance exams, the conducting authority/institutions release the list of shortlisted candidates.
- The selected candidates are then invited for a personal interview, counseling, and group discussion.
- And finally, based on the overall performances of the candidates, the admission authorities allocate admission seats.
Merit Based Admission
- Candidates are required to apply for admission at the college/institute of their choice.
- In due course of time, the institutions release the merit list. So, candidates need to regularly check the official website of the respective institute that whether they made it to the merit list.
- The candidates who made it to the merit list need to submit the required documents and admission fee for registering for the academic session.
Top B.A. Economics Entrance Exam
Admissions offered to BA in Economics at certain colleges/universities are based on entrance exams followed by a round of counselling session and person interview. So, candidates who aspire to pursue Bachelor of Arts in Economics must have cleared the entrance exams for the course. Listed below are various entrance exams conducted by colleges to enroll students for BA in Economics courses.
- NPAT (National Test for Programs After Twelfth)
- CUCET (Chandigarh University Common Entrance Test)
- PUCET (Punjab University Common Entrance Test)
- IPU CET (Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test)
- JNUEE (Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Examination)
- JMI EEE (Jamia Milia Islamia Engineering Entrance Examination)
- BHU UET (Banaras Hindu University Undergraduate Entrance Test)
- TISS BAT (Tata Institute of Social Sciences Bachelor’s Admission Test)
Bachelor of Arts in Economics Syllabus
The syllabus of BA Economics covers a vast range of topics starting from Financial Systems and History of Economics to Financial Markets and Foreign Economics Theory. Tabulated below is the year-wise break-up of the syllabus for the Bachelor of Arts in Economics program.
Particulars of BA Economics Syllabus
| Years | Syllabus |
| first Years | Economic Theory |
| Financial Systems | |
| Language Subjects | |
| Economic Statistics | |
| Micro and Macro Economics | |
| Mathematical Methods of Economics | |
| second Years | Econometrics |
| Elective Subjects | |
| History of Economics | |
| Economy and Society | |
| Development of Economics in India | |
| Macro & Micro Economics (Intermediate) | |
| Third Year | Financial Markets |
| Financial Economics | |
| Development Theory | |
| Economics of the Society | |
| Foreign Economics Theory | |
| Economic Development of India |
Different BA Economics Subjects
BA Economics is a three-year undergraduate degree course comprising six semesters of study. Students go through various vital subjects and topics during the course study. The BA economics program’s subjects are mainly categorized into elective and core. Tabulated below are the different subjects for the program.
| Categories | Subjects |
| Core Subjects | Econometrics |
| Indian Economy | |
| Microeconomics | |
| Macroeconomics | |
| Economics Statistics | |
| History of Economics | |
| Electives Subjects | Political Economy |
| Applied Economics | |
| International Economics | |
| Advanced Macroeconomics | |
| Money and Financial Markets | |
| Economics of Health and Education |
Top BA Economics Colleges in India
India is home to many colleges/universities that offer BA Economics courses. Among them, few are private colleges, and few are government colleges. Some of the top colleges in India that offer Bachelor of Arts in Economics courses are listed below.
- Loyola College, Chennai
- Farook College, Kozhikode
- St Thomas College, Thrissur
- Presidency College, Chennai
- St Teresa’s College, Ernakulam
- Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam
- St Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad
- Mar Ivanios College, Nalanchira
- St Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli
- Government Arts College, Coimbatore
- Government Victoria College, Palakkad
- Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi
- PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore
Scope after Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Graduating with BA in Economics prepares the students to play a crucial part in financial and business advising, which opens ample career opportunities for them. After completing the program, graduates can explore a variety of jobs in both the public and private sectors related to the discipline of the economy. These professionals can also be employed in the area of accounting, where they could get expertise in analyzing a firm’s or individual’s financial condition.
Apart from that, post-pursuing BA in Economics, graduates can also opt for further studies, and options, in this case, are MA in Economics and Ph.D. in Economics. Acquiring these higher degrees help the candidates with higher job positions and salary, and they can also be assigned to various research projects.
Popular BA Economics Jobs
Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree in economics have ample career opportunities and are hired by several reputed organizations with handsome salary packages. Listed below are some of the famous job roles after pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Economics program.
- Auditor
- Economist
- Statistician
- Stock Broker
- Data Analyst
- Budget Analyst
- Financial Analyst
- Financial Planner
- Investment Banker
- Financial Consultant
- Academic Professional
Graduates in BA Economics Salary
The average salary offered to the graduates in B.A. in Economics courses ranges from 4 to 10 LPA depending on components like job profiles, experience, skillset, recruiter, college of education, etc. However, there might be cases where salaries change due to experience and location of employment of the candidates. Below mentioned are few of the job profiles for an BA in Economics graduate along with their average salary.
- Auditor:- INR5 to 8 Lakh Per Annum
- Stock Broker:- INR 7 to 10 Lakh Per Annum
- Systems Analyst:- INR 5 to 7 Lakh Per Annum
- Financial Analyst:- INR 6 to 9Lakh Per Annum
- Investment Banker:- INR 7 to 9 Lakh Per Annum
FAQs on Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Ans:- Yes, obtaining a degree in BA economics is quite good. Candidates who obtain a bachelor’s degree in economics have huge career opportunities in areas like Government and Private Banks, Finance & Banking Sectors, Trade Markets, etc. These sectors offer numerous job opportunities to BA economics graduates.
Ans:- After completing Bachelor of Arts in Economics, some of the top jobs are Finance and Budget Analyst, Banker, Market Analyst, Economist, Investment Administrator, Sales Executive, Human Resource, etc.
Ans:- After completing the Bachelor of Arts in economics program, candidates can either start their professional journey by taking up jobs or opt for higher studies such as MA in economics and Ph.D. in Economics.