UPSC Economy Notes

UPSC Economy Notes

Studying the Indian economy is not just an academic exercise but a must for those who want to navigate the UPSC landscape. UPSC Economy Notes are a must have for those who want to understand the economic aspects of the country. With a focus on covering all the economic concepts, policies and their implications, these notes will be a roadmap for the UPSC Civil Services aspirants. Going into the macro, micro, fiscal and financial aspects of the economy, these notes will equip the aspirants with the analytical skills to understand and address the economic challenges of India. Civil servants will find these notes to be a treasure, which will go beyond the examination preparation and help in understanding the economic dynamics of the country.

Topic Sub – Topic
Economy and Economics Macro, Micro, and Mesoeconomics
  Liberal and Neo-liberal Economics
  Keynesian Economics
  Socialist and Communist Economics
  Development Economics
  Behavioral Economics
  Green Economics
Economic Growth and its Measures Business Cycles: Slowdown, Recession, Great Recession and Depression.
  Measuring Economic Growth……….
  Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Product (GNP)
  Transfer Payments
  Factors of Production……….
  Market Price and Factor Cost..
  GDP and NDP….
  National Income and Statistics in India
  Indian Economy: Sectors and their Components
  Structural Change and Composition of Economy
Growth and Development – Alternative Measures Human Development Index (HDI).
  Gross Value Added (GVA).
  Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI).
  Gross National Happiness (GNH).
  Happiness Index.
  Green GDP
  Purchasing Power Parity: (PPP).
  Developed, Developing and Least Developed Countries..
  World Bank Classification.
Planned Economy Development and NITI Aayog History of Economic Planning in India.
  Mixed Economy.
  Planning Goals..
  Financial Resources for Five-Year Plans
  History of Planning in India: First and Second Five-Year Plans
  Achievements of Planning
  India and the Manufacturing Sector
  NITI Aayog…
Five Trillion Dollar Economy Strengths of the Indian Economy.
  Five Trillion US$ and Macroeconomic Stability.
  Investment-led Growth for Five Trillion Dollar Economy..
  Agriculture and Five Trillion Dollar Economy
  Manufacturing and Five Trillion US$
  Services and Five Trillion Dollar Economy.
  Exports and Five Trillion Dollar Economy
  Industry 4.0 and Five Trillion Dollar Economy
  Atma Nirbhar: A Path to Self-Reliance
Fiscal Policy Fiscal Policy: Definition
  Revenue Account and Revenue Expenditure..
  Capital Receipt and Capital Expenditure..
  Deficits and Deficit Financing
  Fiscal Stimulus
  FRBM Act…
  Fiscal Consolidation.
  Off-Budget Financing…
  Zero Base Budgeting (ZBB).
  Plan and Non-plan Expenditure Classification.
  Domestic Savings in India and Trends
  Public Debt.
  External Debt.
  Rupee Debt
  India and Sovereign Bonds.
  External and Internal Debt Management.
  Debt-GDP Ratio
Monetary and Credit Policy Monetary Policy and Supply
  Monetary Aggregates..
  Demonetization..
  Indian Financial Code (IFC).
  Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
  Monetary Policy Framework Agreement.
  Monetary Policy Transmission.
  Repo Rate and Deposit Rate Linkage 2019.
  The Reserve Bank of India.
  Bimal Jalan Committee on Economic Capital Framework.
  RBI and its Subsidiaries. 
 

Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC). 

SARFAESI

  Macro-Prudential Analysis… 
Money Market and Capital Market in India – Intruments and Dynamics Money Market. 
  Discount and Finance House of India (DFHI) 
  London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) 
  Mumbai Interbank Offered Rate (MIBOR) 
  Money Market Reforms. 
  Capital Market. 
  State Development Loan (SDL) 
  Private Equity. 
 

Hundi. 

Public Account of India Credit Default Swap (CDS). 
  Chit Funds 
  Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs) 
  Terms and Concepts of Capital Market 
Stock Market  Stock Exchange
  Primary Market and Secondary Market 
  Stock Exchanges in India and SEBI 
  Capital Market Reforms. 
  Derivatives and Futures 
  Buyback of Shares, 
  Anchor Investor 
 

Global Depository Receipts (GDR) and American Depository Receipts (ADRs). 

Bond Yield 

Participatory Note 

  Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI). 
  Commodity Exchanges… 
  Stock Markets and Macroeconomy 
  Important Indices in the World 
  Blue Chip 
  Largecap, Midcap or Small Cap Company.. 
  MPS Norms 
  Shariah Index 
  Types of Shares 
  Power Exchanges. 
  Dabba Trading 
Fintech in India 
Inflation – Concepts, Facts and Policy Inflation and its Types 
  Measures of Inflation. 
  Causes of Inflation.. 
  Effects of Inflation 
  Price Stability and Optimal Inflation. GDP, Potential GDP and Inflation. 
  Inflation and Corruption.
 

Inflation Targeting… 

Wholesale Price Index 

  New CPI Series 2015. 
  Food Price Indices. 
  Residex. 
  Growth-Inflation Trade Off.. 
  Government Steps to Control Inflation.. 
Taxation  Taxation in India. 
  Tax Reforms in India 
  Direct and Indirect Tax Ratio.. 
  Tax to GDP Ratio 
  Broadening Tax Base. 
  Tax Amnesty Schemes. 
  Direct Taxes Code (DTC). 
  Capital Gains Tax… 
  Inverted Duty Structure 
  Tax Expenditure… 
  Tax Havens 
  Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS). 
  Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA). 
  Rationalization of DTAA.. 
  General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR). 
  Place of Effective Management (POEM). 
  Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEA) 
  Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters…. 
  Transfer Pricing and APA.. 
  Tobin Tax….. 
  Pigovian Tax and AD Valorem Tax 
  Goods and Services Tax (GST) 
  Electronic Way Bill (E-Way Bill). 
  GST and Federalism. 
  Minimum Alternative Tax (MAT).. 
  Some Tax Related Terms. 
Banking System in India 

Commercial Banks. 

Public Sector Banks 
Substandard Assets or NPAs 
SARFAESI Act 

 

Safety of Banks and Basel Norms.. 

Recapitalization of Public Sector Banks (PSBs)
 
Bank for International Settlements (BIS) 

  Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 and Amendments 
  Twin Balance Sheet (TBS) Challenge.. 
  Public Sector Asset Rehabilitation Agency (PARA) 
  Bank Consolidation 
 

Financial Service Institutions Bureau (FSIB) 

Banks Board Bureau (BBB) and Differentiated Banking 

  Small Finance Banks (SFBs). 
  Payments Bank 
  India Post Payments Bank (IPPB). 
  Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). 
  MUDRA Bank. 
  FDI In Banks 
  Foreign Banks: Subsidiary Vs Branch. 
  Development Banks. 
 

Co-operative Banks 

AIFI – NABARD, NHB

  Shadow Banks 
  Universal Banking in India. 
  Bank Run. 
  Priority Sector Lending 
Microfinance in India 
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) 
National Payments Corporation of India 
Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC) 
Public Sector – Evolution, Reforms and Performance Public Sector – Evolution, Reforms and Performance 
  Disinvestment and Privatization 
  Government Policy on Disinvestment/Privatization 
  Bharat 22.. 
  Methods of Disinvestment of Minority Stake in CPSES. 
  Use of Disinvestment Proceeds 
  Maharatna, Navaratna and Miniratna Companies 
  Challenges for PSUs.. 
  Ad-hoc Group of Experts (AGE) Report 
  Purchase Preference Policy. 
Foreign Trade  India’s Exim Policy: Its Evolution and Content 
  Foreign Trade Policies 
  Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 
  Agri-Export Policy 2018 
  India’s Exports and Imports: Merchandise Exports.. 
  Challenges to Boosting India’s Exports. 
  GST and Exports 
  Exports and Employment in India 
  Export and Trading Houses. 
  Institutional Infrastructure.. 
  States and Export Efforts. 
  Trade Finance 
  Free Trade Arrangements and India.. 
 

Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): Pros and Cons 

FTAs, Trade Creation, and Trade Diversion 

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) 

  South-South Trade. 
  Non-Tariff Barriers.. 
  Quantitative Restrictions 
  Some Important terms 
Foreign Direct Investment  Benefits of FDI. 
  Costs of FDI 
  Incentives to FDI 
  India’s FDI Policy 
 

Recent Trendrs in FDI 

Government Initiatives to Boost FDI in India 

Impact of FDI on the Economy 

  Change in FDI in Different Sector
Balance of Payments  Current Account and Capital Account..
  India’s Balance of Payments (BOP) Crisis in 1991. 
 

Balance of Payments and Invisibles… 

Remittances to India: Key Points 

Current Account Deficit (CAD) 

  Currency Convertibility… 
 

FEMA and FERA… 

Internationalization of Rupee 

  Currency Swap Agreements. 
  Exchange Rate. 
 

Currency Appreciation and its effects. 

Currency Depreciation and its effects
 

Currency Mechanisms 

Currency Board 

Real Value of a Currency 

  Sovereign Wealth Fund 
  Foreign Exchange Reserves 
 

Currency War 

Currency Manipulation and Global Dynamics 

Hard and Soft Currency, Capital Flight, Capital Controls, and Dollarization: Explained  

Indian Agriculture Food Grain Production (Recent Year) 
  Accounting for Success in Agriculture. 
  Government Initiatives… 
  Capital Formation in Indian Agriculture. 
 

Agricultural Price Policy in India. 

Minimum Support Price (MSP) 

Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (BBY) and Telangana Model 

The Swaminathan Formula 

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) 

 

System of Rice Intensification (SRI) 

Private Procurement Stockist Scheme (PPSS) in Agriculture  

Farm and Non-Farm Employment  

Feminisation of Agriculture
 

Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO)

Terms of Trade (ToT)…. 

  Taxing Agricultural Income.
  Sustainable Agriculture…… 
 

Sustainable Agriculture and Water Management. 

Agricultural Productivity in India 

NDRF and SDRF: Strengthening Disaster Response in India 

  Soil Health. 
  Zero Budget Natural Farming in India 
  Indian Agriculture and Climate Change. 
  Extension Services……. 
  Agri-clinic and Agribusiness Centre. 
  Rural Credit. 
  Microfinance. 
  Agriculture Reforms. 
  Organic Farming 
  Agri-credit 
 

Kisan Credit Card 

Agriculture Allied Sectors 

Infrastructure Types of Infrastructure.. 
  National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) 
  Financing Infrastructure. 
 

India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL).. 

Public Private Partnership (PPP) 

  Hybrid-Annuity Model (HAM) 
 

Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT). 

BOLT (Build, Own, Lease, Transfer) 

 

Swiss Challenge and BOOT model, Beed model

Take-Out Financing 

  Viability Gap Funding  
  Plug and Play Model
  Infrastructure Debt Fund 
  InvITs and REITs. 
  Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) Contract and Turnkey 
National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) 
  Green Bonds.. 
  PPP: Right Model.. 
  Affordable Housing.. 
  Infrastructure Status…. 
  Concerns related to Infrastructure Sector 
  Kelkar Committee 2015. 
Infrastructure Policies and Government Initiatives National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZS).
  Industrial Corridors
  Defence Corridor….
  Sagarmala Project
  National Highways Development Project (NHDP) 
  Coastal Economic Regions (CER) in the Sagarmala Project 
  Bharatmala Project 
  India’s Inland Waterways. 
  Land Pooling Vs Land Acquisition… 
  Exclusive Economic Zones 
 

Special Economic Zones 

Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 

Poverty  Concepts, Data, Policy and Analysis
  Poverty and its Types 
  Measurement of Poverty 
  World Bank and Poverty Definitions. 
  Planning Commission and Poverty. 
 

Urban Poverty. 

Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 

Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in India 

  Major Committees on Poverty 
  Eradication of Poverty. 
  Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 
  Niti Aayog Task Force on Poverty Elimination 
  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 
  Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 
  Universal Basic Income (UBI), 
 

Basic Income in India 

Non – Monetary aspects of India 

  Poverty is a Cognitive Tax. 
Poverty Eradication and Randomized Controlled Trials  Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). 
  2019 Nobel Prize for Economics. 
  Development Economics..
  Health..
  Education…. 
  Microcredit. 
  Gender and Politics 
  Bounded Rationality. 
  Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) 
Economic Inequality  Effects of Economic Inequality. 
  Measurement of Inequality 
  Measures to Decrease Inequality in India 
  Economic Inequality in India 
  Balanced Regional Development (BRD) and Inclusive Growth 
 

Aspirational Districts Programme. Inequality and Economic Growth. 

Reasons for Deepning Inequality 

Inclusive Growth 

  Social Security… 
  Social Safety Net. 
  Globalization and Inequality. 
 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Inequality.. 

Pandemics and Inequality 

Employment, Skills and Labour in India  Types of Unemployment.. 
  Natural Rate of Unemployment or Full Employment… 
  Causes of Unemployment… 
  Consequences of Unemployment. 
 

Official Unemployment Estimates.. 

Unemployment in India 

 

Classification. 

Measuring of Unemployment in India
 

Nature of Unemployment in India 

  Jobless Growth.. 
  Labour Productivity. 
  Child Labour in India 
 

India and International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions. 

Labour Law Reforms in India 

Relationship between Unemployment and Inflation Rate 

  25 focus sectors under MSME

Skill Development.. 
  Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKY). 
  National Skill Development Mission. 
  Demographic Dividend..
 

Employment schemes by government 
  Economic Globalization and Employment.. 
  Gig Economy 
  Recent Trends of Unemployment in India 
Global Financial Architecture  Groups. 
  Institutions..
Bretton Woods Institutions International Monetary Fund (IMF). 
  SDRs as Global Reserve Currency. 
  IMF’s Financial Resources 
  IMF and the Great Recession 2008. 
  IMF and Social Protection 
  IMF, Money-Laundering and Terror Finance  
  Reforming the IMF 
India and the IMF  
  Financial Transaction Plan (FTP). 
  Financial Action Task Force (FATF). 
 

BRICS CRA…

IMF and Covid – 19 

World Bank Group  World Bank: IBRD and IDA. 
 

India and the World Bank. 

IMF and the World Bank 

 

Bretton Woods 2.0  

World Bank and Covid – 19 

World Trade Organisation GATT and WTO 
  Decision-Making & Most Favoured Nation (MFN)
  India and the Amber Box 
  Export Subsidies 
  Directorate General of Trade Remedies. 
  Trade Facilitation 
 

World Trade Organization (WTO) and E-commerce..  

India and WTO 

  India and Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT).. 
  HIB Visa Fee Hike and WTO-Compatibility. 
  Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and India. 
  India and WTO: Gains and Losses 
  Protectionism 
  Important Terms in Trade and Economics 
WTO and Intellectual Property Rights  APEDA 
 

Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)…. 

Geographical Indications (GI) in India 

 

PPVFR Act

COVID-19 and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs): A Global Debate 

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 

Economy in the UPSC Syllabus

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) syllabus for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) includes various subjects, and the Indian Economy is an important component. Here are the key points related to the economy in the UPSC syllabus:

  1. Indian Economy and Development:
    • Nature of the Indian economy.
    • Planning in India.
    • Economic reforms since 1991.
    • Poverty, unemployment, and developmental issues.
    • Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
    • Government budgeting.
  2. Economic and Social Development:
    • Sustainable Development.
    • Social sector initiatives.
  3. Money and Banking:
    • Inflation – trends and impact on the economy.
    • Money supply and its regulation.
    • Role of money and banking.
  4. International Economic Relations:
    • India’s trade and investment.
    • Role of international organizations.
    • World Trade Organization (WTO).
  5. External Sector:
    • Balance of payments.
    • Exchange rates and their determination.
    • International financial institutions.
  6. Science and Technology:
    • Developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
  7. Environmental Ecology:
    • General issues on environmental ecology, biodiversity, and climate change.
  8. Agriculture:
    • Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country.
    • Different types of irrigation and irrigation systems.
  9. Disaster Management:
    • Awareness and mitigation strategies.
  10. Security and Disaster Management:
    • Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
    • Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
  11. Inclusive Growth:
    • Government budgeting for inclusive growth.

UPSC Economy Study Guide

Preparing for the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam requires a comprehensive understanding of various subjects, including economics. Here’s a study guide to help you prepare for the economy section of the UPSC exam:

Syllabus Overview:

The UPSC Economics syllabus broadly covers the following areas:

  1. Microeconomics:
    • Demand and Supply
    • Elasticity of demand and supply
    • Consumer behavior and utility maximization
    • Market structures
    • Factors of production
  2. Macroeconomics:
    • National Income and related aggregates
    • Inflation and deflation
    • Money and banking
    • Fiscal policy
    • Monetary policy
  3. International Economics:
    • Balance of payments
    • Exchange rates
    • International trade and policy
  4. Indian Economy:
    • Economic development and planning
    • Poverty and unemployment
    • Agriculture, industry, and services
    • Infrastructure

Study Materials:

  1. NCERT Books:
    • Read NCERT books for Class 11 and 12 Economics. They provide a strong foundation.
  2. Standard Textbooks:
    • “Indian Economy” by Ramesh Singh
    • “Economic Development” by Class 11 NCERT
    • “Macroeconomics” by Dornbusch and Fischer
  3. Newspapers and Magazines:
    • Regularly read newspapers like The Hindu and magazines like Yojana for current affairs related to the economy.

Online Resources:

  1. Government Reports and Documents:
    • Refer to reports from institutions like RBI, NITI Aayog, and Economic Survey.
  2. Websites:
    • Explore websites like PIB, PRS India, and the Ministry of Finance for official government releases and updates.

Preparation Strategy:

  1. Understand Basics:
    • Start with the basics and build a strong foundation in microeconomics and macroeconomics.
  2. Current Affairs:
    • Keep yourself updated with current economic issues. Relate theoretical concepts to real-world situations.
  3. Practice Numerical Problems:
    • Solve numerical problems related to national income, inflation, and fiscal policy to enhance quantitative skills.
  4. Make Notes:
    • Create concise and organized notes for quick revision.
  5. Previous Year Papers:
    • Solve previous year question papers to understand the exam pattern and the type of questions asked.
  6. Mock Tests:
    • Take regular mock tests to improve time management and identify weak areas.

Revision:

  1. Revise Regularly:
    • Consistent revision is crucial. Revise the entire syllabus multiple times.
  2. Discussion Groups:
    • Join discussion groups or forums to discuss concepts and doubts with fellow aspirants.

Important Tips:

  1. Analytical Approach:
    • Develop an analytical approach to economic issues. Understand the cause and effect relationships.
  2. Diagrammatic Representation:
    • Use diagrams wherever possible. It helps in presenting your answers more effectively.
  3. Stay Updated:
    • Follow reputable sources to stay updated on economic developments.
  4. Answer Writing Practice:
    • Practice answer writing regularly. Focus on presenting your answers in a structured and clear manner.

FAQs on UPSC Economy Notes:

Q: Why is Economics part of UPSC exam?

A: Economics is a major part of UPSC exam because it helps you understand Indian economy, global economy and how economic policies affect society. It is required for GS Paper 3 and optional subjects like Economics.

Q: What are the topics to be covered in UPSC Economy notes?

A: Indian Economy, Economic Development, Planning, Poverty, Inclusive Growth, Sustainable Development, Banking, Fiscal Policy, Monetary Policy, International Trade, Economic Survey. Focus on both theoretical and practical applications.

Q: How to make UPSC Economy notes?

A: Start by understanding the basics. Use standard textbooks and reference materials. Summarize key points, make flowcharts and use bullet points. Relate economic concepts to current affairs for a complete understanding. Revision is key so organize your notes for easy revision.

Q: Do we need to refer economic newspapers and magazines for UPSC Economy preparation?

A: Yes, staying updated with current economic affairs is necessary. Reading newspapers like The Hindu or business magazines gives you insight into practical application of economic concepts. It also helps in answering questions related to current economic issues in the exam.

Q: How to incorporate current affairs in UPSC Economy notes?

A: Create a separate section in your notes for current affairs. Connect economic concepts with real life examples and issues. Update this section regularly with information from newspapers, magazines and reliable online sources. This will help you in both prelims and mains.

Q: What is the role of government reports and economic surveys in UPSC Economy preparation?

A: Government reports especially Economic Survey and Union Budget are major sources for UPSC Economy preparation. They provide in depth analysis, statistics and insights into government’s economic policies. Candidates should study these reports thoroughly and incorporate relevant information in your notes.

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