BA Honours in Economics : Top Colleges, Fees, Syllabus & More

BA Honours in Economics is a 3-year undergraduate degree program (extendable to 4 years with research under NEP 2020) designed to provide in-depth training in economic theory, analysis, and applications. Core subjects in BA Economics honours include microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, econometrics, Indian economy, development economics, and international trade. It remains one of the most prestigious undergraduate courses, with high scope and salaries. Aspirants have access to affordable, prestigious government colleges as well as premium private institutions.

Eco honours prepares students for careers in banking, finance, consulting, government policy, research, data analysis, and higher studies. Admissions into the course are typically conducted via entrance exams. However, multiple renowned merit-based alternatives also exist. In this guide, we take a comprehensive look at this course. Find out BA Economics Honours syllabus, fees, top colleges, eligibility and more. 

Course Highlights

Some key features of BA in Economics Honours are listed below:

Particulars	Details
Course Level	Undergraduate (UG)
Full Form	Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Economics
Duration	3 years (6 semesters) or 4 years (with research component under NEP 2020)
Mode of Study	Full-time (regular/on-campus; limited online/distance options available)
Eligibility	10+2 from a recognized board with minimum 45-50% aggregate (Mathematics in Class 12 often mandatory or preferred)
Admission Process	Primarily entrance-based via CUET UG (for central universities like DU); merit-based or institution-specific tests in private/state colleges
Average Course Fees	Govt. colleges: INR 10,000 – 50,000 per year;  Private colleges: INR 30,000 – 3,00,000+ per year
Key Subjects	Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, Statistics, Mathematical Methods for Economics, Indian Economy, Development Economics, International Trade
Skills Developed	Analytical reasoning, data interpretation, econometric modeling, research, critical thinking, policy analysis
Average Starting Salary	INR 3–8 LPA (often higher, 8+ LPA from top colleges with strong placements)
Career Scope	Banking & finance, consulting, government (UPSC/IES/RBI), research/think tanks, data analysis, international organizations, higher studies
Top Recruiters/Sectors	RBI, SBI, Deloitte, KPMG, McKinsey, World Bank, government ministries, academia, consulting firms
Top Colleges in India	Hindu College (Delhi), Miranda House (Delhi), Hansraj College (Delhi), Lady Shri Ram College for Women (Delhi), Loyola College (Chennai), St. Xavier’s College (Mumbai/Kolkata)

Top Colleges in India for BA Economics Honours

The table below lists some of the best colleges for BA Economics Honours in India with their fees and  other details:

College Name	Location	Type	Entrance Exam	Total Course Fees (INR) for Program Duration	Average Starting Placement Salary (INR LPA)
Hindu College	Delhi	Government	CUET UG	86,010 (3 years)	7–9
Miranda House (Women)	Delhi	Government	CUET UG	48,180 (3 years)	6–8
Hans Raj College	Delhi	Government	CUET UG	86,615 (3 years)	6–8
Kirori Mal College	Delhi	Government	CUET UG	49,305 (3 years)	5–7
St. Stephen’s College	Delhi	Government	CUET UG + Interview	88,311 (3 years)	8–10
Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR)	New Delhi	Government	CUET UG	68,520 (3 years)	7–9
Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC)	Delhi	Government	CUET UG	97,260 (3 years)	10–12
St. Xavier’s College	Mumbai	Government-aided (Autonomous)	Merit/College Entrance	32,922 – 39,000 (3 years)	5–8
St. Xavier’s College	Kolkata	Government-aided (Autonomous)	Merit/College Entrance	1,20,000 (3 years)	5–8
Presidency University	Kolkata	Government	PUBDET / Merit	9,500 – 25,000 (3 years)	4–6
Loyola College	Chennai	Government-aided	Merit/College Entrance	84,660 (3 years)	5–7
Christ University	Bangalore	Private	CUET / Christ Entrance Test	4,00,000 – 5,00,000 (3–4 years)	6–9
Ashoka University	Sonipat (Haryana)	Private	Ashoka Aptitude Test + Interview	42,96,000 (4 years)	8–12
Shiv Nadar University	Greater Noida (UP)	Private	SNUSAT + Interview	10,00,000 – 16,00,000 (4 years)	7–10
OP Jindal Global University	Sonipat (Haryana)	Private	JSAT / SAT / ACT	16,00,000 (4 years)	8–11

Best Private Colleges for Economics Honours

Private colleges stand out for their modern curricula, interdisciplinary approaches, global faculty, international collaborations and better infrastructure. Here are some of the top private colleges for BA in Economics honours in India:

College/University Name	Location	Entrance Exam	Total Course Fees (INR)	Average Starting Placement Salary (INR LPA)
Ashoka University	Sonipat, Haryana	Ashoka Aptitude Test (AAT) + Interview	42,96,000 – 52,97,000 (4 years)	8–12
O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU)	Sonipat, Haryana	JSAT / SAT / ACT / LSAT	16,00,000 – 24,00,000 (4 years)	8–11
Shiv Nadar University (SNU)	Greater Noida, UP	SNUSAT + APT + Interview	10,00,000 – 16,00,000 (4 years)	7–10
Christ University	Bangalore, Karnataka	Christ University Entrance Test / CUET	4,68,000 – 6,25,000 (3 years)	6–9
Symbiosis School of Economics	Pune, Maharashtra	SET / Merit	9,00,000 – 11,16,000 (3 years)	5–8
FLAME University	Pune, Maharashtra	FEAT / SAT / ACT	36,65,000 – 49,65,000 (4 years)	7–10
NMIMS (Deemed University)	Mumbai, Maharashtra	NPAT	11,10,000 – 14,80,000 (3 years)	6–9
St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous/Private-aided)	Mumbai / Kolkata	Merit/ College Entrance	32,922 – 1,80,000 (3 years)	5–8

Eligibility Criteria for Admission in Economics Honours

To pursue BA Honours in Economics (also known as BA in Economics Honours) in India as of 2026, candidates must meet criteria as listed below:

• Educational Qualification: Completion of Class 12th or equivalent from a recognized board (CBSE, ISC, State Boards, IB, etc.) in any stream—Arts, Commerce, or Science with minimum required marks. 
• Age Limit: No upper age limit in most cases (including CUET-based admissions).
• Mathematics Requirement: Mathematics in Class 12 is mandatory for most reputed programs, especially in Delhi University and top colleges. Non-math students may face challenges or be ineligible for premier institutions, though some private universities are more flexible.

BA Economics Honours Popular Entrance Exams 

Entrance Based

This mode is mandatory for central universities and most premier privates, using national or institution-specific exams. Some popular entrance exams are listed below:

Popular Entrance Exams for BA Economics Honours	Conducting Body	Eligibility	Applicable Colleges
CUET UG	NTA	10+2 with 50% aggregate (45% for reserved); Mathematics mandatory	Delhi University colleges (e.g., SRCC, Hindu, Miranda House), BHU, Christ University (optional)
JSAT	OP Jindal Global University	10+2 with 50%; Mathematics preferred	OP Jindal Global University
Christ University Entrance Test (CUET)	Christ University	10+2 with 50%; Mathematics preferred	Christ University, Bangalore
NPAT	NMIMS	10+2 with 50%; Mathematics mandatory	NMIMS (for BSc Economics equivalent)
SET	Symbiosis International University	10+2 with 50% (45% for reserved); Mathematics preferred	Symbiosis School of Economics, Pune

Merit Based

While this mode of admission is less common, here is a list of colleges popular merit-based options for Economics honours in India:

College Name	Location	Eligibility	Approximate Annual Fees (INR)	Average Cut-off
St. Xavier’s College	Mumbai	10+2 with 50%; Mathematics preferred	15,000 – 20,000	97–98%
St. Xavier’s College	Kolkata	10+2 with 50%; Mathematics required	50,000 – 60,000	92–95%
Loyola College (Aided)	Chennai	10+2 with 50%; Commerce/Science preferred	40,000 – 50,000	90–95%
Madras Christian College	Chennai	10+2 with 50%; Mathematics preferred	20,000 – 30,000	82–92%
Fergusson College	Pune	10+2 with 50%; Mathematics mandatory	10,000 – 15,000	88–95%
Stella Maris College (Women)	Chennai	10+2 with 50%; Mathematics preferred	20,000 – 25,000	90–95%
Panjab University	Chandigarh	10+2 with 50%; Mathematics required	15,000 – 20,000	85–92%

BA Economics Honours Syllabus (Year + Semester Wise Breakdown)

BA Economics Honours syllabus includes Discipline Specific Core (DSC/CC), Generic Electives (GE), Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC), Ability Enhancement Compulsory (AEC), and Value Addition Courses (VAC). Here is a year-wise breakdown of commonly taught subjects:

First Year (Semesters 1&2)

Semester 1	Semester 2
Introductory Microeconomics (Core)	Introductory Macroeconomics (Core)
Mathematical Methods for Economics I (Core)	Mathematical Methods for Economics II (Core)
Statistics for Economics (Core/DSC)	Applied Statistical Analysis (Core/DSC)
Ability Enhancement (AEC): English/Communication	Ability Enhancement (AEC): Environmental Studies
Generic Elective (GE): e.g., Principles of Economics or Influential Ideas in Economics	Generic Elective (GE): e.g., Computational Techniques (R/Python) or Data Analysis
Value Addition (VAC): e.g., Democracy and Economy or Holistic Education	Value Addition (VAC): e.g., Digital Literacy or Language and Contemporary Society

Second Year (Semesters 3&4)

Semester 3	Semester 4
Intermediate Microeconomics I (Core)	Intermediate Microeconomics II (Core)
Intermediate Macroeconomics I (Core)	Intermediate Macroeconomics II (Core)
Econometrics I/Introduction to Econometrics (Core)	Econometrics II/Applied Econometrics (Core)
Mathematical Methods in Economics II (Core/DSC)	Introduction to Game Theory (Core/DSC)
Skill Enhancement (SEC): e.g., Data Analysis/Survey Design	Skill Enhancement (SEC): e.g., Research Methodology or Contemporary Economic Issues
Generic Elective (GE): e.g., Political Economy of India or Regional Economics	Generic Elective (GE): e.g., Public Economics or Money and Banking
Minor/Elective: e.g., Politics of Development	Minor/Elective: e.g., Urban Development and Planning

Third Year (Semesters 5&6)

Semester 5	Semester 6
Indian Economy I (Core)	Indian Economy II (Core)
Development Economics I (Core)	Development Economics II (Core)
International Economics/Trade (DSE/Elective)	Applied Economic Analysis (DSE/Elective)
Discipline Specific Elective (DSE): e.g., Public Economics, Financial Economics, or Game Theory	Discipline Specific Elective (DSE): e.g., Environmental Economics, Health Economics, or Open Economy Macroeconomics
Skill Enhancement (SEC): e.g., Behavioural Economics or Foundations of Agricultural Economics	Skill Enhancement (SEC): e.g., Labour Economics or Industrial Economics
Generic Elective (GE): e.g., History of Economic Thought or Education and Development	Generic Elective (GE): e.g., Economics of Law or Equity & Fairness
Internship/Experiential Learning (Field Project)	Swayam/MOOC or Seminar Presentation

Fourth Year (Semesters 7&8) – Option Under NEP

Semester 7	Semester 8
Advanced Econometrics (e.g., Non-linear Analysis)	Research Manuscript/Dissertation in Economics
Discipline Electives (3-5): e.g., Money and Banking, Environmental Economics: Theory and Application, or Gender Economics	Discipline Electives (2-3): e.g., Health Economics, Urban Economics, or Comparative Economic Development
Research Methodology in Economics	Seminar Presentation or Academic Writing for Economics
Data Analysis using SPSS/STATA/R	Elective/Minor: e.g., Labour Economics and Public Policy or Industrial Economics

Subjects in BA Economics Honours 

The BA Honours in Economics (also known as BA in Economics Honours) curriculum is built around a set of core subjects, each strengthening foundational understanding: 

Subject Name	Subject Description
Introductory Microeconomics	Introduces basic principles of individual and firm behaviour, demand-supply, market structures, consumer theory, production, and cost analysis.
Introductory Macroeconomics	Covers national income accounting, aggregate demand & supply, money & banking, inflation, unemployment, fiscal & monetary policy, and economic growth.
Mathematical Methods for Economics I & II	Develops essential mathematical tools (calculus, linear algebra, optimization, differential equations) used in economic modelling and theory.
Statistics for Economics	Teaches descriptive statistics, probability, probability distributions, sampling, hypothesis testing, and correlation/regression—foundation for data analysis in economics.
Intermediate Microeconomics	Advanced treatment of consumer theory, producer theory, general equilibrium, welfare economics, market failures, game theory basics, and asymmetric information.
Intermediate Macroeconomics	In-depth study of IS-LM model, AD-AS framework, open economy macroeconomics, inflation-unemployment trade-offs, growth models (Solow), and business cycles.
Introductory Econometrics	Introduces statistical methods to estimate economic relationships—simple & multiple regression, OLS, hypothesis testing, multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation.
Indian Economy	Examines structure, performance, and policy issues in the Indian economy—planning, liberalization, agriculture, industry, services, poverty, inequality, fiscal & monetary policy.
Development Economics	Analyses economic development theories, growth vs. development, poverty & inequality measurement, human capital, role of institutions, globalization, and sustainable development.
International Economics / Trade	Covers theories of trade (comparative advantage, Heckscher-Ohlin), balance of payments, exchange rates, trade policies, WTO, regional trade agreements, and globalization impacts.

BA Economics Honours Scope

A BA Honours in Economics provides strong and versatile career opportunities in India’s fast-growing, data-driven economy. Graduates are equipped with analytical, quantitative, and critical thinking skills that are highly valued across industries. In the private sector, common paths include banking and finance, consulting, corporate strategy, data analysis, economic consulting, and emerging fields like sustainable finance and impact investing. 

Public and development sectors offer roles in government policy bodies (NITI Aayog, Ministry of Finance, RBI, SEBI), international organizations (World Bank, IMF, UNDP), think tanks, NGOs, and competitive exams such as UPSC (Indian Economic Service, IAS), RBI Grade B, or SSC.

The degree also serves as an excellent foundation for higher studies. Most popular choices include MA / MSc in Economics, MBA and MPhil / PhD in Economics. Overall, the scope of BA Economics Honours remains robust and future-proof. Whether pursuing immediate jobs or postgraduate studies, the degree offers flexibility and strong demand for graduates. 

BA Economics Honours Top Jobs & Salaries

Some of the top job roles for graduates of BA Economics Honours are listed in the table below:

Job Role	Job Description (one-liner)	Average Starting Salary (INR LPA)
Financial Analyst	Analyzes financial data, investments, budgets, and market trends	5 – 10
Data Analyst	Interprets data, creates reports, and supports business decisions using tools like Excel, SQL, Python	5 – 9
Business Analyst	Bridges business needs and technical solutions, analyzes processes and requirements	6 – 10
Economic Consultant	Provides expert advice on economic policies, market trends, and strategy to firms or governments	6 – 12
Policy Analyst	Researches and evaluates public policies, prepares reports for government or think tanks	6 – 11
Market Research Analyst	Studies consumer behavior, market conditions, and competition to guide business strategy	5 – 9
Investment Analyst	Evaluates stocks, funds, and investment opportunities for clients or firms	6 – 12
Research Analyst (Economics)	Conducts economic research, data analysis, and prepares reports for think tanks or organizations	6 – 10
RBI Grade B Officer	Manages monetary policy, banking supervision, and economic research at the Reserve Bank of India	8 – 12 (after exam & selection)

Comparing BA Economics Honours with Other Courses

BA (Hons) Economics vs BA Economics

Aspect	BA (Hons) Economics	BA Economics (General / Program)
Focus	Specialized & in-depth study of economics only	Broad; economics combined with other subjects (History, Political Science, Sociology, etc.)
Depth & Rigor	In-depth study of Economics	Covers basic economics  along with other disciplines
Core Subjects	Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, Statistics, Indian Economy, Development Economics	Basic Micro & Macro with lighter exposure to quantitative tools; other non-economics papers
Mathematics/Statistics	Mandatory & advanced	Usually basic or optional
Career Preparation	Strong for economics-specific roles, PG (MA Economics), competitive exams (UPSC/IES), research	Good choice for teaching, civil services prep, or diverse non-specialized jobs
Higher Studies Suitability	Excellent for MA/MSc Economics, MBA, PhD	Possible but may require bridge courses for economics PG
Placements & Scope	Better in consulting, finance, policy, data roles	Broader but generally lower starting packages in economics fields

BA (Hons) Economics vs BSc Economics

Aspect	BA (Hons) Economics	BSc Economics
Nature of the Degree	Social science-oriented	Science-oriented
Primary Focus	Economic theory, policy, history, institutions	Quantitative methods, mathematical modelling, data analysis
Mathematics & Statistics	Strong but balanced with theory	Very heavy – advanced calculus, linear algebra, probability, programming (often R/Python)
Core Subjects	Micro/Macro theory, Development, International Trade, Indian Economy	Econometrics, Mathematical Economics, Statistics, Data Science, often more applied modelling
Approach	Qualitative + quantitative; policy & real-world emphasis	Highly quantitative; scientific & empirical emphasis
Typical Career Paths	Policy analysis, consulting, government, research, banking	Data science, financial modelling, econometrics roles, quantitative finance, tech/analytics
Higher Studies	MA Economics, Public Policy, Development Studies, MBA	MSc Economics (quantitative), Data Science, Financial Economics, Actuarial Science
Availability in India	Very common (DU, Presidency, Loyola, etc.)	Less common; offered by select colleges (e.g., some autonomous like St. Xavier’s Kolkata, Madras Christian College)

FAQs

Is maths compulsory for BA Economics Honours in Delhi University​?

Yes, Mathematics is compulsory for BA (Hons) Economics in Delhi University. Multiple other colleges also consider mathematics as an essential subject for aspirants of economics honours. 

What to do after BA in Economics Honours? 

After BA Economics Honours, graduates can pursue higher studies like MA/MSc Economics, MBA, or specialized programs in Public Policy, Data Science, or Development Economics. Professionally, they can target jobs in consulting, banking, data analysis and other domains. 

What is the scope of BA honours in Economics?

BA Honours in Economics has strong scope in India’s growing economy. It opens doors to private sector roles, government/policy, think tanks, NGOs, and international organizations. It also provides excellent opportunities for higher studies, including MA, MSc, MBA and other programs. 

What are the subjects in BA Eco honours?

Subjects in BA Economics Honours include Microeconomics & Macroeconomics, Mathematical Methods for Economics, Statistics for Economics, Indian Economy, and Development Economics. Later semesters also add electives like International Trade, Public Economics, Financial Economics, Environmental Economics and others.

Who is eligible for BA Hons Economics?

Eligibility for BA (Hons) Economics requires 10+2 from a recognized board with minimum 45-50% aggregate (relaxations for reserved categories). Mathematics (or Applied Mathematics) in Class 12 is mandatory for most top programs (especially Delhi University via CUET). 

What is the salary after doing BA honours in Economics?

Freshers after BA Honours in Economics earn an average starting salary of INR 4-8 LPA. However, job packages vary based on college, academic performance, role and other factors.