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Profile of the School
The Department of Economics, which had its origin way back in 1959 as the extension centre of the University of Madras blossomed into a full fledged Department of Economics at the time of the formation of Madurai University in the year 1966. The Department of Economics made significant progress ever since its establishment and was selected by the UGC under Departmental Research Support Programme (DRS) in 1991 for its further growth. Subsequently the Department of Economics was converted into a School of Economics with Seven Departments Namely Mathematical Economics, Econometrics, Industrial Economics, Agricultural Economics ,Environmental Economics, Rural Development Economics and Human Resource Development Economics in the year 1991.
The major breakthrough of the then Department lies in its pioneering work of introducing a Post-Graduate Course namely, M.Sc., Mathematical Economics of Madurai Kamaraj University was the trend setter for this course in the whole of south India in 1968.In addition two courses M.Phil(1976) and M.A., Economics are now working various Universities, Colleges, Research Institutes and Financial Institutions in India and abroad. Some of them are working in foreign Universities as faculty members. The Products of the School also work in Planning Commission, Reserve bank, Department of Statistics of the State and Central Governments.
The School of Economics has thirteen faculty members and produced more than 500 M.Phil., and more than 80 Ph.D. students. The faculty members have undertaken several major and minor projects on themes of local and national relevance funded by UGC, ICSSR and other agencies.
The First Head of the Department of Economics was the eminent scholar Dr.D.Bright Singh who later on became the full time member of the Tamil Nadu Planning Commission. Eminent Economists like R.G.D. Allen, P.R.Brahmananda, Raja J.Chelliah, K.L.Krishna, Marc Nerlove, and Vaithiyanathan have visited the School.The School is now in DRS Phase III (SAP) of the UGC/ASIHSS.
