Specialized courses in Economics and Finance

Since time immemorial, economics has been the guiding force of the society, not only in its formation but also in its development through the passage of time. Writings of the earliest thinkers whether it was Aristotle’s Politics or Chanakya’s Arthashastra, allude that there was a class of elite scholars devoting their energy to understanding the functioning of the economy and how it can be improved with conscious efforts. Even at the mundane level, a farmer selling his crops or the household leader allocating his income under various heads, everyone unwittingly laid down and made use of the laws of economics. However, it was not until Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations that economics was recognized as a separate discipline that can be practiced or preached by the general public. Since then there have been innumerable authors that have attempted to improve as well as expand the scope of this discipline.

As the scope of economics has improved on the theoretical front so has the scope of its practical applicability. Even if one compares the avenues available to students of economics after independence with those available today, can find that there is a sharp expansion in the size and quality of work available. Earlier, students of economics were either destined to be a part of the public administration or were assumed to join the teaching profession. However, with the enlargement of the scope and significance of the private sector as well as advent of globalization, fresh opportunities have cropped up for the students of economics. Basic knowledge of economics, if not specialized one, has become a prerequisite to enter any sector of the economy.

In current Indian economy, various opportunities are available for economics graduates and post-graduates. Students with a research bent of mind can pursue research at various governmental as well as non-governmental Think-tanks based on their aptitude and research agendas. At the same time, the growth in the size and sophistication of the private sector, in particularly the financial sector, lays down new career paths for the budding economist. Banking sector now has complex sub-branches consisting of investment banking, retail banking, commercial banking and so on, which require the expertise of analysts at various levels for their functioning. Recently, there has been an exponential growth in the number of consultancies, economics and otherwise, that require students with economics background as research analysts.

On a world-wide front, as a result of globalization, the global village offers similar job profiles to the students of economics, with minor variations depending on the location. With such harmonization, increasing number of students are now to applying abroad for a job and internships right after completing their graduation, to take advantage of a global exposure. Although, there is a slight disadvantage to the Indian student in the form of outdated curriculum at various universities, it is a good idea to keep oneself well informed about advanced curriculums from better universities available within India.

Realizing the role of economics in almost every social field, there has been an increasing trend towards gathering the basic knowledge of economics at the undergraduate level and combining it with further specialized knowledge of other fields. Those aiming to become traders or work with a variety of funds at the stock markets undertake specialized courses in Finance with economics as their base.

On these lines, there has been a significant development, especially in premier institutions abroad, of combining the knowledge of various disciplines. Students can now opt for specialized course instead of a generic MBA, one could pursue a PG Programme in Finance or a PG Programme in Economics for those aiming at the financial markets and the banking sector and so on. Although, such developments are yet to reach the curriculum of the public universities of India, they are now available closer home. To meet the growing demand for quality education, leading global educational institutions are setting up their centres in India. None other than the most sought after University of London, London School of Economics programmes can now be pursued at Affiliate Centres such as Indian School of Business & Finance (www.isbf.edu.in). With such developments, a further step towards globalization is being taken, which gives the budding Indian economist, an advantage of a globally updated curriculum and knowledge and puts them at par with their counterparts worldwide.

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