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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. Department of Econometrics was created in 1982.
The Department of Economics made significant progress ever since its establishment and was selected by the UGC under the Departmental Research Support Programme (DRS) in 1991 for its further growth. Subsequently the Department of Economics was converted into School of Economics with seven constituent Departments namely Agricultural Economics, Econometrics, Environmental Economics, Human Resource Development Economics, Industrial Economics, Mathematical Economics and Rural 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 and in fact the Department of 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 (1977) were introduced in the Department. The students who had their studies in the School of Economics are now working in 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, the Reserve Bank, Department of Statistics of the State and Central Governments.
The School of Economics has eleven faculty members and it has produced around 500 scholars with M.Phil degree and more than 80 scholars with Ph.D degree. 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 Vaithyanathan have visited the School.
The School has received a special assistance under the UGC-DRS (SAP) Programme (2002-2009) to the tune of Rs.28,00,000 and under the ASIHSS – Programme (2006-2011), a sum of Rs. 27,00,000 has been sanctioned. The school of economics has been endowed with infrastructural facilities like Books / Reports in the Library-8150, Journals in the Library- 56, Data Base – ASI and CMIE-5, Dailies in the Library- 5, Students’ laboratories- 2, LCD Projector-3, Smart Class Room with LCD-1 and Seminar Hall with LCD-1.
The important events of international and national workshop that took place are two 10 days ICSSR sponsored Research Methodology Workshops, five UGC Unassigned Grant by Madurai Kamaraj University sponsored Research Methodology Workshops, four UGC-DRS (SAP) Programmes, three UGC Unassigned Grant by Madurai Kamaraj University sponsored seminars, three UGC Unassigned Grant sponsored conferences and two 2 days ICSSR sponsored seminars.
Dr. V. Dhulasi Birundha, former Senior Professor has been awarded with Tamil Nadu Government Best Scholar Award, Tamil Nadu Government Environmental Award – (Second Prize) and First Prize for Innovative Practice in Teaching Learning and Research award by Madurai Kamaraj University. She has been serving in the NAAC as peer team member. Dr. S.V. Hariharan, former Senior Professor has been the recipient of Young Social Scientist career award of UGC, New Delhi. Dr.S.Pushparaj and Dr.K.Sadasivam are the recipients of the K. N. Raj Fellowship awarded by CDS, Tirunvanthapuram. Dr.C.Muniyandi and Dr.G.Jayachandran have received appreciation award instituted by 16th Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University, Professor Dr. P.P.Chellathurai for their contribution in bringing research projects.
Motto
Moulding Character for Nation Building
Vision
To spread higher education and to promote research in the field of Economics, especially in regional economic problems.
To promote research in the areas related to Economics.
To develop a reference centre for the study of Economics.
To develop a data bank on Economic Research
To guide young researchers in the areas related to Economics.
To organize seminars, and workshops in the areas of Economics and interdisciplinary subjects.
Mission
To use the instrumentality of research, intelligence gathering and community cooperative synergy to curb cultism and all other social ills.
Researching into social behaviours with the intent of proffering appropriate solutions to any detected anti-social behaviours in order to reduce the incidence of anti-social behaviours including cultism.
Teaching Innovations
Preparation of Teaching Material using Open Source Statistical Software R
Training Programme on Open Source Statistical Software R, Gretel
The School Consists of the following Departments
- Department of Agricultural Economics
- Department of Econometrics
- Department of Environmental Economics
- Department of Human Resource Development Economics
- Department of Industrial Economics
- Department of Mathematical Economics
- Department of Rural Development Economics
