The Department of Economics established in 1961, is one of the oldest Departments of the Kurukshetra University. Professor Vikas Mishra, a student of Nobel Laureate, Sir Professor W. Arthur Lewis and who did his M.A. from Manchester and Ph.D. from London School of Economics, was the founder Head of the Department. The Department has the distinction of providing the first ever faculty member in Professor Vikas Mishra as the Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University.
Initially M.A. and Ph.D. courses were started in the Department but later on M.Phil. and M.B .E. courses were also introduced. At present, the department offers courses in M.A., M.Sc. Banking and Finance, and Ph.D. in Economics. It attracts a large number of students at the Post-Graduate level including foreign students. The teaching programs in the Department are focused on proper blending of ‘quality’ and ‘relevance’. This is sought to be achieved by periodic updating of syllabi in conformity with the advancement of the knowledge in the subject, balancing emphasis on theoretical analysis with that on applied economics, introducing new courses from time to time and making tutorials more effective by establishing close students-teacher contact. Many of its alumni have distinguished themselves in both academic and administrative spheres across the country and the world-a small testimony, perhaps to the excellence of training that we have managed to give them.
The Department is also actively engaged in research activities. More than 150 scholars have got their Ph.D. from the Department in the past 52 years and presently 35 research scholars are registered with the Department. A Survey and Research unit was also started in the Department to provide assistance in research activities and also to conduct socio-economic surveys on different aspects. In recognition of the teaching and research activities of the Department, the University Grant Commission sanctioned ‘Special Assistance Program’ (SAP) to the Department in the focus area ‘Asian Economic Integration’ in 2007.
Further, many other academic activities like Seminars, Talks, Refresher Courses, Conferences, etc. are also regularly organized by the Department. The Annual Conference to the Indian Economics Association was organized by the Department in 2006. Recently an International Seminar on “Poverty in Developing Countries: Challenges & Policy Options” was organized by the Department in collaboration with IIEP, George Washington University, USA in October, 2012.