In NET Economics, knowing a topic is only part of the work. You may have to calculate an answer, compare two statements or match a theory with its author. Previous-year questions show you these different ways of asking.
Our analysis covers 500 Economics PYQs from the last five exam cycles, June 2024 to June 2026:
- June 2024 — re-examination held in August.
- December 2024.
- June 2025.
- December 2025.
- June 2026.
Below, you can see which subjects appeared most often, the topics tested and the types of questions asked. For the full topic list, see the official syllabus.
On this page
Subject-wise question counts
These percentages are calculated over 500 PYQs; the weightage in individual exam sessions may differ.
| Economics subject | Questions (out of 500) | Percentage of the 500 questions |
|---|---|---|
| Microeconomics | 86 | 17.2% |
| Statistics and Econometrics | 71 | 14.2% |
| International Economics | 67 | 13.4% |
| Mathematical Economics | 56 | 11.2% |
| Indian Economy | 48 | 9.6% |
| Growth and Development Economics | 43 | 8.6% |
| Public Economics | 38 | 7.6% |
| Macroeconomics | 34 | 6.8% |
| Environmental Economics and Demography | 33 | 6.6% |
| Money and Banking | 24 | 4.8% |
| Total | 500 | 100% |
Among these 500 PYQs, Microeconomics questions appeared most often, followed by Statistics and Econometrics, then International Economics.
Frequently tested topics
| Selected topic | Questions on this topic (out of 500) |
|---|---|
| Linear regression models and their properties | 26 |
| Consumer behaviour | 23 |
| Market structures and their efficiency properties | 20 |
| Differential calculus and its applications | 18 |
| GATT, WTO, regional trade blocs and trade-policy issues | 16 |
| Theories of international trade | 15 |
Regression questions need more than the formula: you should also know the assumptions behind the result. In microeconomics, draw the diagrams for the cases you confuse. For international economics, keep a separate page for institutions, agreements and dates.
What kinds of questions should you practise?
Definitions and concepts
Some questions ask you to identify a concept, indicator or method. In environment and demography, examples in the PYQ bank include demographic dividend and methods of environmental valuation.
For each environmental valuation method, note what data it needs. Use that difference to choose between methods in a matching question.
Statement-based questions
Decide whether each statement is true or false before choosing the combination. Words such as “always”, “only” and “not” can change the answer. For a model-based question, check the assumptions too.
If a statement is false, underline the part that makes it false. A note saying ‘why’ is more useful during revision than the answer letter alone.
Matching and chronology
For matching questions, revise the full set of pairs after your attempt, including those you answered by elimination. Short tables work well for economists and theories, institutions and functions, or measures and definitions.
For chronology, put the events in a timeline. The PYQ bank includes questions on the order of theories, publications and institutional developments.
Numericals and interpretation
A numerical may ask for an estimate, its interpretation or a test of a hypothesis. These are different tasks: calculating a regression coefficient does not tell you whether it is statistically significant.
How to use old factual questions
Answer an old factual question for the year it asks about. If a policy or figure has changed since then, note the update separately.
If you find different answers in two sources, compare the original wording and options with the official key. You can find both in paper downloads and final keys.
Paper I has a separate PYQ bank of 200 questions across four cycles. See the Paper I guide for its units and weekly routine.
For practice, visit the free resources page.