Best Colleges/Universities for Masters in Economics

Disclaimer: All the information is based on informal conversations with various students of different institutes, the information provided on the official website, and some on basis of my own judgment. 

I’ll be listing according to various parameters.

Average CTC

1. ISI Delhi ( 19–20)
2. ISI Kolkata & Delhi School of Economics ( 15–16)
3. IGIDR ( Around 13–14 )
4. Madras School of Economics & JNU SIS ( 9–10)
5. Ashoka University & JNU SSS (8–9)
6. Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics ( 6-7) ( one year course)
7. Others are Gokhale Institute Of Political Economy, Shiv Nadar & CDS ( Degree awarded by JNU ),
8. Apart from that they are other good universities but lacks placement such as Jamia Milia, Ambedkar University, SAU, TERI, Calcutta University, University Of Hyderabad & Jadavpur University.
9. If you have an interest in Development Economics and its associate fields following colleges have a great program for it
10. Tata Institute of Social Sciences(MA in Development Studies)
11. International Institute of Population Studies ( MA in Population Studies)
12. IIT Guhuwati ( MA in Development Studies )
13. JNU ( MA in Development and Labor Studies)

Other universities must not be considered for Masters

Faculty (On the basis of no of professors having foreign Ph.D.)

1. ISI Delhi
2. Ashoka University
3. DSE
4. JNU (SIS)
5. IGIDR
6. ISI Kolkata & JNU (SSS)
7. Shiv Nadar & SAU
8. IIFT & Meghanad Desai
9. Centre for Development Studies (CDS)
10. Ambedkar University & MSE
11. University of Hyderabad
12. Gokhale

Batch Size

1. ISI Kolkata: 18
2. Shiv Nadar: 20
3. Ashoka: 20
4. CDS: 21
5. ISI Delhi: 27
6. Meghnad Desai: 28
7. SAU:  30 (15 for Indian Nations)
8. JNU SIS:  39
9. IGIDR: 42
10. JNU SSS: 90
11. MSE: Total 5 courses in economics. 33 seats in each
12. Gokhale: 40 seats in each course
13. University Of Hyderabad: 60 in MA Economics. No idea about financial Economics
14. DSE: 290

No idea about others.

Fees

1. ISI Delhi & Kolkata: No fees rather you get Rs 8k per month. Hostel charges only Rs 3k per month including mess 
2. IIPS Mumbai: No fees. You get 5k per month. Not aware of hostel charges
3. JNU (SSS/SIS): Only Rs 500 per year. Hostel around Rs 100 per month. Food around Rs 2k per month.
4. IGIDR: Rs 32k per year. Hostel charges Rs 3k per month including mess.
5. DSE: Rs 8k per year. Some students don’t get hostels. Those who get fees is around – Rs 50k–60k hostel charges (depending upon the hostel you get ))
6. CDS: Rs 33,150 per year hostel. Not aware of fees, must be around RS 20k.
7. MSE: ( Rs 1.7 lakhs per year . Hostel charges including mess – 1.2 lakhs ). You can stay outside if you want
8. University Of Hyderabad: Around 10k per year including the hostel. Mess charges are 3k per month.
9. Gokhale: Depends upon course. For general economics Rs 60k. Financial Economics 1.6 lakhs Not aware of the hostel. Must be 1–1.2 lakh
10. Shiv Nadar: Rs 3.6 lakh for 2 years includes everything. there is a batch of 20 students. So 10 get assistantship ( a concept followed in western countries where students assist Professors ). So they are paid Rs 1.2 lakh per annum. Others can also apply for scholarship.
11. Meghnad Desai: ( 5.75 lakhs excluding hostel around say 1 lakh . batch is 30 . 2 get 50% scholarship . 3 get 33% scholarship )
12. Ashoka University: Rs 13 lakh for 2 years includes everything. It has an association with MIT. Students who can’t afford the fee, get scholarships ranging from partial waiver to a full-waiver.

Infrastructure

1. Ashoka University
2. IGIDR
3. Shiv Nadar University

Profiles Offered ( Depends upon institute )

1. Business/Risk/Data Analytics
2. Investment Bank Analyst
3. Sales & Marketing
4. Think Tanks such as ICRIER ( policy making)
5. NGOs
6. Consultancy
7. Media & Publishing ( Economic Times, Business Standard )

Government Jobs

1. IES
2. Research Assistant in RBI (Department of Economic Affairs
3. EXIM (Research & Analysis Wing)
4. Indian Statistical Officer ( only MSc in Economics students eligible )
5. Many posts pertaining to various ministries for research purpose and think tanks (often Ph.D. and some research work would be required)

Other things

• Gokhale & JNU have student exchange program. You can complete a semester abroad if you qualify for it. Not aware of others
• DSE & JNU give a lot of options to specialize in. In DSE, you have a range of profiles to chose from for jobs. Also, DSE has a very strong alumni network as compared to any institute since it is a very old institute for economics. JNU is great in the case of policymaking.
• JNU is hardest to get into since “deprivation points” are offered to girls, students who have done their schooling & undergrad from backward areas or Naxal affected areas ( such as Chhattisgarh, Bihar ).
• ISI & IGIDR has 100% placement. DSE varies from 95 to 100%. MSE has around 70–75 %. Gokhale around 40–50%.For others, I haven’t got any idea

Hope this helps.