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 of Economics, University of Calcutta.
• Those who have done the pre-submission seminar and completed the Viva-voce process by December 31, 2019 in M. Phil in Economics (or related discipline like Development Studies, Foreign Policy Management, etc. with Masters degree in Economics) from any UGC recognized university and are awaiting results would also be exempted from RET and be eligible to appear directly in the interview. They are required to submit their enrolment certificate and a letter from the Head of their respective Departments or higher authority of the University saying that they have fulfilled the above-mentioned criterion. If selected, the M. Phil. Candidates are required to submit their result by February 28, 2020, failing which their admission would stand cancelled.
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 (2020);
Form:
• Form can be downloaded from the following link: https://www.caluniv.ac.in/admission/CU_RET_Form.pdf
Structure of the Examination:
• The examination time will be two hours.
• There will be a written examination. There is no multiple choice questions (MCQ).
• Questions will be on Economic Theory, Quantitative Economics and Contemporary Global and Indian Economic Problems.
• 60 percent of the marks is allotted for Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, Statistics and Econometrics and Mathematical Economics and 40 percent for essay type questions on Contemporary Global and Indian Economy problems.
• The eligible candidates identified through RET/ NET/ SET/ M. Phil and other equivalent examination recognized by UGC 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 Behavior, 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, Rational Expectation, Classical Full Employment Model- Determination of Real Wage, Interest Rate & Price Level, Real Business Cycle, Demand for Money, Supply of Money, Consumption Function, Investment Function, Inflation, 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, Heteroskedasticity, 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: by November 29, 2019 (Friday).
• Application for PhD program including that for the Research Entrance Test (RET) with Statement of Purpose (SOP) to be submitted by December 20, 2019 (Friday) in the Office of the Department of Economics, University of Calcutta.
• Date of RET Examination: January 2, 2020 (Thursday) at 1.00-3.00 p.m. in the Department of Economics, University of Calcutta;
• Date of Publication of RET Result: January 7, 2020 (Tuesday);
• Date of Interview: January 13 and 15th, 2020 (Monday and Wednesday) from 11 a.m. in the Department of Economics, University of Calcutta.
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