Department Profile

Department of Economics with Rural Development started functioning in 1985 with the joining of two faculty members and offering of post-graduate courses and research facilities with some focus on the study of Rural Development. With unique geographical and topographical features of land, forest and agriculture, special socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the location of the University in the surrounding, some importance was given on the study of rural development. However, over the years the department has expanded both in size and quality with increased number of faculty members and academic opportunities. To fit itself with the changing needs of the society and the requirements of rapid development of the subject, the syllabus has been modified and updated at regular intervals through induction of latest economic theories and mathematical techniques for economic analysis, statistical and econometric methods and computer programming for empirical studies, in addition to the initial focus on rural development. The mainstream economics is taught following the standard syllabi of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, International Economics, Public Economics, Econometrics, Mathematical Economics, Resource and Environmental Economics, Industrial Economics and Rural Development in semester mode. Two special papers - Econometrics and Agricultural Economics are offered to the students at post-graduate level. Research is done in various areas of the subject, namely, Macroeconomics, Econometric Theory, Human Development, Social Protection, Industry, Agriculture and Irrigation, Environment, Education and Public Economics. The PG students are awarded M.A/M.Sc degree in Economics.

In 1999 the University Grants Commission sanctioned the department the Departmental Research Support (DRS) under Special Assistance Programme (SAP) for the period from 1999 to 2004 on the thrust area of Decentralised Planning and Participatory Rural Development. A number of Major Research Projects have been sanctioned by the UGC and ICSSR in favour of faculty members of the Department. VIDYASAGAR UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, UGC Care list journal, with ISSN 0975-8003 is published annually by the Department. The Department has received UGC Departmental Research Support (DRS) under Special Assistance Programme (SAP) for the period from 2016 to 2021 on the thrust area of Inclusive Development in the Backward Region of West Bengal. In 2019 the department has renamed as Department of Economics.