What is BA Eco Hons?
Economics Honours from DU is one of the most sought after and reputed courses for most students across India. The rigorous curriculum, a limited number of seats with extremely high competition from students throughout the country and good career opportunities make it a very popular course.
BA Eco Hons at DU is a 3-year Undergraduate course at Delhi University wherein students receive a specialisation in the discipline of Economics. They also have to choose a subject from the curriculum more flexible and diverse.
Who should Study Economics Honours From DU?
Students who wish to make a career in the field of economics, finance or even entrepreneurship find this course to be suitable for their career aspirations. If you are enthusiastic to understand how the world economies work, how governments and corporations make big decisions or how money affects our lives and the decisions we take based on it, then economics is a subject you should study.
Analytical skills, problem-solving and research skills, and the ability to manage time well make it easier to study Economics Honours from DU where you are also juggling between the extra-curricular activities and events, college society work and internships.
Why study Economics Honours From DU?
- The stellar placements, job opportunities and excellent career options are just some of the reasons you should pursue a B.A. in Economics Honours from DU.
- The holistic development at Delhi University with a balance of academics and extracurricular activities makes it a dream for many students who are just out of school and wish to step further in their careers.
- The course is a blend of economics, statistics and mathematics which will hone your analytical skills and critical thinking skills.
Admission to BA Eco Hons at DU
Traditionally, admission into Economics Honours was based solely on merit. However, this time the Vice-Chancellor of DU Mr Yogesh Singh released a new DU Admission Policy for the session 2022-23. Students will have to appear for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) to secure admission to the University. It will be a computer-based online exam with MCQ based questions.
For BA Eco Hons at DU, students will have to appear for mathematics exams compulsorily. Final merit will be calculated based on marks obtained in this mathematics paper, one compulsory language paper and 2 subject papers. The students will be free to select the subjects of their choice. However, they must have studied these subjects in Class 12.
Previously, just like the cutoffs this time the admission will take place according to the highest CUET marks. For colleges with reservation of minorities, 85% weightage will be given to CUET marks and the remaining 15% will be on the college to decide upon.
For more detailed information regarding the admission, update check out the DU Official Website here.
BA Eco Hons at DU Cut offs
Economics Honours DU is known for its increasing cut-offs with each passing year. The cut-offs in the year 2021-22 shocked everyone when they touched a perfect 100% for some courses and closed at 99.50 for many of them.
For Economics Honours, the first cut-off last year began with a perfect 100% for Shri Ram College of Commerce, 99.75% for Hansraj College and JMC and 99.50% for Lady Shri Ram College and ended with a 98.25% even in the fifth cut-off for Ramjas College and Kirori Mal College.
On average, a student needed a score of 99% to be able to secure a seat in Economics Honours in the initial cut-offs to get into a good college. Most colleges were already out of seats by the 2nd cutoff for students of the unreserved category and the competition was cut-throat. The Special Drive provided some relief for students who couldn’t secure admission to the courses for any reason.
BA Eco Hons at DU Fees
The annual fees for a General Category student in Economics Honours lie in the range of 6,000- 24,000 Rupees and the exact number depends on the fee decided by each college. Autonomous colleges or colleges with minority reservations like Jesus and Mary (JMC), St. Stephen’s College and Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce etc. have their separate fees structure which is available on their college websites.
Syllabus of BA Eco Hons at DU
You will have to appear for 14 Core Discipline papers, 4 Discipline Specific elective papers, 4 General Electives papers, 2 Skill Enhancement Courses papers, and 2 Ability Enhancement Compulsory Papers. The total credits will sum up to 148 with a total of 26 courses.
The 14 papers which you will have to give for the Core Discipline Economics are:
- Mathematical Methods for Economics I
- Introductory Microeconomics
- Mathematical methods for Economics II
- Introductory Macroeconomics
- Intermediate Microeconomics I
- Intermediate Macroeconomics I
- Statistical methods for Economics
- Intermediate Microeconomics II
- Intermediate Macroeconomics II
- Introductory Econometrics
- Development Economics I
- Indian Economy I
- Indian Economy II
- Development Economics II
The curriculum is indeed rigorous but gives you a 360-degree view of the subject. You will be able to get a good job after pursuing the course. Complementing the course further with some good courses in Finance and Business, Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Coding will only add to your profile and give you practical exposure apart from the bookish theoretical knowledge.
For a detailed syllabus, click here.
Best Colleges for BA Eco Hons at DU
The top 10 colleges to pursue Economics Honours are:
- St. Stephen’s College
- Shri Ram College of Commerce(SRCC)
- Lady Shri Ram College for Women
- Hindu College
- Kirori Mal College (KMC)
- Miranda house
- Ramjas College
- Sri Venkateswara College
- Hansraj College
- Daulat Ram College
Economics Honours is offered by 42 colleges at Delhi University. So don’t be disheartened if you are not able to secure admission to the colleges mentioned above. Delhi University gives you a lot of exposure to craft your skills, and gain experience via internships and college societies.
Placements of BA Eco Hons at DU
The placements for Economics Honours are considered to be amongst the best along with B.Com Honours. An undergraduate’s average package is around 6-8 Lacs per annum. The exact number depends on your college, your skills, level of expertise and experience.
For colleges like SRCC in the last few years, the highest package has even touched 20-25 lacs per annum with the lowest as 9 lacs per annum.
Make sure to do some good internships, gain some relevant and good skill sets along with participating in various extra-curricular activities and competitions to increase your chances of a better placement.
Jobs after BA Eco Hons at DU
The scope of pursuing this course is immense in terms of job prospects. Apart from being an economist, the course offers a chance to delve into jobs that need statistical and mathematical rigour.
One can either go for a master’s in Economics or an MBA in Finance if they wish to pursue further studies. There is a 50% reservation for students who have completed their Bachelors in Economics Honours from Delhi University and if they wish to pursue an M.A. in Economics from the prestigious Delhi School of Economics.
Entrepreneurship and Business also attract the young minds who have completed this rigorous 3-year course. Students who wish to enter the Corporate world have a plethora of options to choose from. Finance and Consulting jobs lead the domain with various jobs such as Financial Analysts, Business Analysts, Actuarial Science Professionals, Consultants, and Banking on the rise now.
Courses such as Financial Risk Management(FRM), Chartered Financial Analyst(CFA) and Actuarial Science complement this discipline and give a boost to the student’s profile. Students can even venture into Government Policy and Think Tanks like the NITI Aayog, Banks like the RBI, and the Civil Services Exams. After completing an M.A. in Economics, they can also appear for the Indian Economic Services(IES) exam which allows them to work very closely with the public policy and Think Tanks of the Government.
Famous Alumni of BA Eco Hons at DU
Delhi University has a spectacular array of alumni who have carved a niche for themselves in their professional lives. Many of them were once students of Economics Honours too. Some notable names are:
1. Shah Rukh Khan- A prominent Indian Actor who graduated from Hansraj College, North Campus.
2. Aung San Suu Kyi- A Burmese politician, she graduated from Lady Shri Ram College. In 1991, she even won a Nobel Peace Prize.
3. Arjun Rampal- Another prominent Bollywood Actor to join the list, Arjun completed his Bachelors in Economics from Hindu College.
4. Gita Gopinath- She served as Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund between 2019 and 2022. Since 21 January 2022, she is he First the Deputy Managing Director of the IMF. She is a graduate of Lady Shri Ram College for Women.
5. Kaushik Basu- He did his B.A. Economics Honours from St. Stephen’s College and he was the Chief Economist of the World Bank from 2012 to 2016. He is now a professor at Cornell University and is even awarded the Padma Bhushan.
Skills Learnt
Pursuing this course, you will gain several skills over time. Some of them are:
- Problem-Solving Skills
- Critical Thinking Skills
- Programming Skills
- Analytical Skills
- The skill of Numeracy
- The Art of Communication through so many presentations
And much more. During your stay at DU, you will grow as an individual and will learn many more soft skills. These are vital to building a successful career today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pursue BA Eco Hons at DU without maths as a subject in Class 12?
No, according to the eligibility criteria by Delhi University you need to have studied Mathematics in Class 12 to pursue a B.A. in Economics Honours from the University. It is not necessary to include them in your best of four marks but is needed in the mark sheet.
Is Economics Honours from DU a difficult course to study?
This course blends economics and statistics with mathematics as a fundamental subject. It is rigorous and hence needs recurring studies. Everything is achievable with proper management of time.
