Title: Teaching economics: the experience at the University of Calcutta

Authors: Mahalaya Chatterjee

Addresses: Centre for Urban Economic Studies, Department of Economics, University of Calcutta, CU Alipore Campus, 1 Reformatory Street, A wing 6th floor, Kolkata 7000027, West Bengal, India

Abstract: Economics is one of the most prestigious departments of the 154 years old, University of Calcutta. Not only had the post-graduate department of the university but a number of its affiliated colleges boasted of legendary teachers and equally famous students over the years. However, for the last ten years or so, there is a decline in the number of students taking admission to the undergraduate honours course. In the era of globalisation and free-market economy, where the knowledge of economics is becoming more and more necessary, what can be the reason for such a decline? Searching for the answer was not very easy. A number of reasons were forwarded from different quarters and one of them was the syllabi, overloaded with mathematics. This paper takes a critical look into the reasons for the apathy of students to study the subject and the vision behind the complete makeover of the syllabi.

Keywords: University of Calcutta; political economy; career choices; tools; techniques; application orientation; project preparation; economics education; India; higher education; economics syllabus; economics curriculum.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPEE.2013.060175

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2013 Vol.4 No.4, pp.407 - 417

Published online: 30 Apr 2014 *

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