Q1:

Government Budget

Easy

Calculate the gross fiscal deficit from the following given values (in Rs. crore).

Total expenditure= 10,00,000

Revenue receipts= 8,00,000

Non-debt creating capital receipts= 3,50,000

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 21 May Shift 1 ECO question 1

Q2:

National Income

Easy

Match List-I with List-II

List-IList-II
(A) Final durable goods which are used in the production process for creation of goods(I) Depreciation
(B) Wear and tear of capital(II) Product method
(C) Measuring aggregate value of final goods and services produced by all the firms is part of(III) Net value added
(D) Deduction of the value of depreciation from gross value added(IV) Capital goods

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 21 May Shift 1 ECO question 2

Q3:

Employment

Easy

What do you mean by disguised unemployment in a sector?

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 21 May Shift 1 ECO question 3

Q4:

Economic Reforms (1991)

Easy

Privatisation of the public sector enterprises (PSEs) by selling off part of the equity of PSE's to the public is known as ..................

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 21 May Shift 1 ECO question 4

Q6:

Balance of Payments

Easy

When transactions are made due to some reason other than to bridge the gap in the balance of payments, that is, when they are independent of the state of BoP then such international economic transactions are called as..........................

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 21 May Shift 1 ECO question 6

Q8:

Forms of Market

Medium

Which one of the following fulfills for supply curve of a firm under perfectly competitive market in the long run?

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 21 May Shift 1 ECO question 8

Q9:

Money & Banking

Easy

Which of the following options correctly explains the functions of money?

(A) Medium of exchange

(B) Measure of account

(C) Store of value

(D) Quality measuring standard

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for 2026: 21 May Shift 1 ECO question 9

Q10:

Forms of Market

Easy

Which of the following condtion does not exist in a perfectly competitive market?

Answer options

Q12:

Money & Banking

Easy

Match List-I with List-II

List-IList-II
(A) Lender of last resort(I) 1/Cash reserve ratio
(B) Money multiplier(II) Buying and selling government securities
(C) Open market operations(III) RBI
(D) MtdM^d_t = kPY(IV) Transaction demand for money is positively related to the real income of an economy.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q13:

Production & Costs

Easy

When a proportional increase in all inputs results in an increase in output by the half proportion, then the production function is said to display which returns to scale?

Answer options

Q14:

Market Equilibrium

Easy

Which one of the following formula is correct for the Marginal Revenue Product of the labor (MRPL_L)?

Answer options

Q15:

Balance of Payments

Easy

Under which of the following exchange rate systems appreciation and depreciation take place in the exchange rate?

Answer options

Q16:

Balance of Payments

Medium

Arrange the following statements about the effect of change in demand for foreign goods on foreign exchange rate in open economy in correct sequence.

(A) It leads to a shift in the demand curve towards right.

(B) More Rupee needed against a dollar.

(C) Demand for foreign goods and services increases in the economy.

(D) It leads to depreciation of the domestic currency in terms of dollars.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q17:

Development Experience of India

Easy

Match List-I with List-II

List-IList-II
(A) Special Economic Zones (SEZ )(I) Quality of Life
(B) Human Development Index (HDI)(II) 1991
(C) Economic reforms in India(III) Exports and attracting foreign investors
(D) Great Leap Forward campaign(IV) China

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q18:

Income & Employment

Easy

If all the people of the economy increase the proportion of income they save (i.e. if the mps of the economy increases) the total value of savings in the economy will not increase – it will either decline or remain unchanged. What does it refer to in economics?

Answer options

Q19:

Consumer Behaviour

Medium

Which of the following conditions of the indifference curve is violated when two indifference curves are intersecting each other?

Answer options

Q20:

Income & Employment

Medium

Which is the correct sequence of determination of income in an economy as a result of change in autonomous expenditure?

(A) The output and aggregate demand increase.

(B) The increment in the autonomous investment in the economy is Rs. 10 Cr.

(C) The aggregate demand curve shifts in parallel upwards.

(D) The investment multiplier works in forward direction.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q21:

Money & Banking

Medium

Which of the following are correct about money measures?

(A) M1 = CU + DD

(B) M2 = M1 + Savings deposits with commercial banks

(C) M3 = M1 + Net time deposits of commercial banks

(D) M4 = M3 + Total deposits with Post Office savings organisations (excluding National Savings Certificates)

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q22:

Government Budget

Easy

Which one of the following item is not a part of non-plan expenditure?

Answer options

Q23:

Sustainable Economic Development

Easy

Which of the following options correctly explains the functions of the environment?

(A) It supplies resources including both renewable and non-renewable.

(B) It doesn't assimilate waste.

(C) It sustains life by providing genetic and bio diversity.

(D) It also provides aesthetic services like scenery.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q25:

Production & Costs

Easy

Which of the following cost curve takes the shape of rectangular hyperbola?

Answer options

Q26:

Income & Employment

Easy

The level of income where all the factors of production are fully employed in the production process is called..................

Answer options

Q27:

Balance of Payments

Easy

"When it is difficult to record all international transactions accurately, then a third element of BOP (apart from the current and capital accounts) is used." Identify the third reflector of Balance of Payments (BOP).

Answer options

Q28:

Production & Costs

Easy

Find the returns to scale for the following Cobb--Douglas production function.

Q=L1/3K3/4Q=L^{1/3}K^{3/4}

Answer options

Q29:

Income & Employment

Easy

The ratio of the total increment in equilibrium value of final goods output to the initial increment in autonomous expenditure is called .......................

Answer options

Q30:

Introduction

Easy

An economy in which both the private and the public sector coexist is known as a ....................

Answer options

Q31:

Development Experience (1947-90)

Easy

Industries which can produce machine tools which are, in turn, used for producing articles for current consumption is known as..................

Answer options

Q32:

National Income

Medium

Match List-I with List-II

List-IList-II
(A) GDP(I) NDPMP_{MP} + NFIA
(B) GDPFC_{FC}(II) C+I+G+X-M
(C) NDPMP_{MP}(III) GDPMP_{MP} - Depreciation
(D) NNPMP_{MP}(IV) GDPMP_{MP} - NIT

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q33:

Consumer Behaviour

Medium

Arrange the following values of elasticity of demand of a downward sloping linear demand line in correct order starting from left to the right along with the demand curve.

(A) Ed_d =0

(B) Ed_d = ∞

(C) Ed_d =1

(D) Ed_d <1

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q34:

Income & Employment

Medium

Which one of the following combinations are correct?

(A) ΔC/ΔY=Marginal Propensity to Consume (MPC).

(B) ΔS/ΔY=Marginal Propensity to Save (MPS).

(C) 1/1-APS=Investment Multiplier.

(D) 1/1- C=Investment Multiplier.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q35:

Development Experience of India

Easy

The demographic indicator is related with which of the following?

Answer options

Q36:

Economic Reforms (1991)

Easy

From which of the following two inernational organisations India had to borrow for its balance of payment crisis?

Answer options

Q37:

Development Experience (1947-90)

Easy

Arrange the following major events in the Indian economy in chronological order, starting from oldest to the latest.

(A) Set up of Planning Commission

(B) India's independence

(C) First phase of green revolution

(D) First five-year plan

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q38:

Market Equilibrium

Easy

Match List-I with List-II

List-IList-II
(A) Zero excess demand and zero excess supply situation occurs in(I) Wage rate
(B) Imposition of price ceiling below the equilibrium price leads to an(II) Perfectly competitive market
(C) Where the labour demand and labour supply curves intersect,it determines(III) Excess supply.
(D) Imposition of price floor above the equilibrium price leads to an(IV) Excess demand.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q39:

Economic Reforms (1991)

Easy

Arrange the following sequence of events related to liberalization, privatisation and globalisation in chronological order.

(A) General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT)

(B) World Trade Organization (WTO)

(C) New Economic Policy (NEP) implementation in India

(D) Introduction of Goods and Service Tax (GST)

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q40:

Money & Banking

Easy

Which of the following are the correct combinations of monetary instruments of RBI to regulate money supply in the economy?

(A) Bank rate

(B) Cash reserve ratio

(C) Savings bank interest rate for public

(D) Repo rate

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer options

Q41:

National Income

Easy

Can the GDP of a country be taken as an index of the welfare of the people of that country? If a person has more income he or she can buy more goods and services and his or her material well-being improves. So it may seem reasonable to treat his or her income level as his or her level of well-being. GDP is the sum total of market value of final goods and services created within the geographical boundary of a country in a particular year. If the GDP of the country is rising, the welfare may not rise as a consequence. This is because the rise in GDP may be concentrated in the hands of very few individuals or firms. For the rest, the income may in fact have fallen. In such a case the welfare of the entire country cannot be said to have increased. Many activities in an economy are not evaluated in monetary terms. For example, the domestic services women perform at home are not paid for. The exchanges which take place in the informal sector without the help of money are called barter exchanges. In barter exchanges, goods (or services) are directly exchanged against each other.

Externalities refer to the benefits (or harms) a firm or an individual causes to another for which they are not paid (or penalised). Externalities do not have any market in which they can be bought and sold.Therefore, if we take GDP as a measure of welfare of the economy we shall be overestimating the actual welfare. This was an example of negative externality. There can be cases of positive externalities as well. In such cases, GDP will underestimate the actual welfare of the economy.

In occurrence of which type of externalities, GDP will underestimate the actual welfare of the economy?

Answer options

Q42:

National Income

Easy

Can the GDP of a country be taken as an index of the welfare of the people of that country? If a person has more income he or she can buy more goods and services and his or her material well-being improves. So it may seem reasonable to treat his or her income level as his or her level of well-being. GDP is the sum total of market value of final goods and services created within the geographical boundary of a country in a particular year. If the GDP of the country is rising, the welfare may not rise as a consequence. This is because the rise in GDP may be concentrated in the hands of very few individuals or firms. For the rest, the income may in fact have fallen. In such a case the welfare of the entire country cannot be said to have increased. Many activities in an economy are not evaluated in monetary terms. For example, the domestic services women perform at home are not paid for. The exchanges which take place in the informal sector without the help of money are called barter exchanges. In barter exchanges, goods (or services) are directly exchanged against each other.

Externalities refer to the benefits (or harms) a firm or an individual causes to another for which they are not paid (or penalised). Externalities do not have any market in which they can be bought and sold.Therefore, if we take GDP as a measure of welfare of the economy we shall be overestimating the actual welfare. This was an example of negative externality. There can be cases of positive externalities as well. In such cases, GDP will underestimate the actual welfare of the economy.

Why the services performed by women at home are not included in GDP?

Answer options

Q43:

National Income

Easy

Can the GDP of a country be taken as an index of the welfare of the people of that country? If a person has more income he or she can buy more goods and services and his or her material well-being improves. So it may seem reasonable to treat his or her income level as his or her level of well-being. GDP is the sum total of market value of final goods and services created within the geographical boundary of a country in a particular year. If the GDP of the country is rising, the welfare may not rise as a consequence. This is because the rise in GDP may be concentrated in the hands of very few individuals or firms. For the rest, the income may in fact have fallen. In such a case the welfare of the entire country cannot be said to have increased. Many activities in an economy are not evaluated in monetary terms. For example, the domestic services women perform at home are not paid for. The exchanges which take place in the informal sector without the help of money are called barter exchanges. In barter exchanges, goods (or services) are directly exchanged against each other.

Externalities refer to the benefits (or harms) a firm or an individual causes to another for which they are not paid (or penalised). Externalities do not have any market in which they can be bought and sold.Therefore, if we take GDP as a measure of welfare of the economy we shall be overestimating the actual welfare. This was an example of negative externality. There can be cases of positive externalities as well. In such cases, GDP will underestimate the actual welfare of the economy.

The exchanges which take place in the informal sector without the help of money are called as ................

Answer options

Q44:

National Income

Easy

Can the GDP of a country be taken as an index of the welfare of the people of that country? If a person has more income he or she can buy more goods and services and his or her material well-being improves. So it may seem reasonable to treat his or her income level as his or her level of well-being. GDP is the sum total of market value of final goods and services created within the geographical boundary of a country in a particular year. If the GDP of the country is rising, the welfare may not rise as a consequence. This is because the rise in GDP may be concentrated in the hands of very few individuals or firms. For the rest, the income may in fact have fallen. In such a case the welfare of the entire country cannot be said to have increased. Many activities in an economy are not evaluated in monetary terms. For example, the domestic services women perform at home are not paid for. The exchanges which take place in the informal sector without the help of money are called barter exchanges. In barter exchanges, goods (or services) are directly exchanged against each other.

Externalities refer to the benefits (or harms) a firm or an individual causes to another for which they are not paid (or penalised). Externalities do not have any market in which they can be bought and sold.Therefore, if we take GDP as a measure of welfare of the economy we shall be overestimating the actual welfare. This was an example of negative externality. There can be cases of positive externalities as well. In such cases, GDP will underestimate the actual welfare of the economy.

What do we refer to the benefits (or harms) a firm or an individual cause to another for which they are not paid (or penalised)?

Answer options

Q45:

National Income

Easy

Can the GDP of a country be taken as an index of the welfare of the people of that country? If a person has more income he or she can buy more goods and services and his or her material well-being improves. So it may seem reasonable to treat his or her income level as his or her level of well-being. GDP is the sum total of market value of final goods and services created within the geographical boundary of a country in a particular year. If the GDP of the country is rising, the welfare may not rise as a consequence. This is because the rise in GDP may be concentrated in the hands of very few individuals or firms. For the rest, the income may in fact have fallen. In such a case the welfare of the entire country cannot be said to have increased. Many activities in an economy are not evaluated in monetary terms. For example, the domestic services women perform at home are not paid for. The exchanges which take place in the informal sector without the help of money are called barter exchanges. In barter exchanges, goods (or services) are directly exchanged against each other.

Externalities refer to the benefits (or harms) a firm or an individual causes to another for which they are not paid (or penalised). Externalities do not have any market in which they can be bought and sold.Therefore, if we take GDP as a measure of welfare of the economy we shall be overestimating the actual welfare. This was an example of negative externality. There can be cases of positive externalities as well. In such cases, GDP will underestimate the actual welfare of the economy.

What is the sum total of market value of final goods and services created within the geographical boundary of a country in a particular year?

Answer options

Q46:

Human Capital Formation

Easy

Human capital considers education and health as a means to increase labour productivity. Human development is based on the idea that education and health are integral to human well-being because only when people have the ability to read and write and the ability to lead a long and healthy life, they will be able to make other choices which they value. Human capital treats human beings as a means to an end; the end being the increase in productivity.

Do you know how much the government spends on education? This expenditure by the government is expressed in two ways (i) as a percentage of 'total government expenditure' (ii) as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The percentage of 'education expenditure of total government expenditure' indicates the importance of education in the scheme of things before the government. The percentage of 'education expenditure of GDP' expresses how much of people's income is being committed to the development of education in the country.

Government of India has also started levying a 2 per cent 'education cess' on all Union taxes. The revenues from education cess has been earmarked for spending on elementary education. The spread of education and health services across different sectors of society should be ensured so as to simultaneously attain economic growth and equity. India has a rich stock of scientific and technical manpower in the world. The need of the hour is to better it qualitatively and provide such conditions so that they are utilised in India.

The percentage of ...........................expresses how much of people's income is being committed to the development of education in the country.

Answer options

Q47:

Human Capital Formation

Easy

Human capital considers education and health as a means to increase labour productivity. Human development is based on the idea that education and health are integral to human well-being because only when people have the ability to read and write and the ability to lead a long and healthy life, they will be able to make other choices which they value. Human capital treats human beings as a means to an end; the end being the increase in productivity.

Do you know how much the government spends on education? This expenditure by the government is expressed in two ways (i) as a percentage of 'total government expenditure' (ii) as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The percentage of 'education expenditure of total government expenditure' indicates the importance of education in the scheme of things before the government. The percentage of 'education expenditure of GDP' expresses how much of people's income is being committed to the development of education in the country.

Government of India has also started levying a 2 per cent 'education cess' on all Union taxes. The revenues from education cess has been earmarked for spending on elementary education. The spread of education and health services across different sectors of society should be ensured so as to simultaneously attain economic growth and equity. India has a rich stock of scientific and technical manpower in the world. The need of the hour is to better it qualitatively and provide such conditions so that they are utilised in India.

On which level of education government spends revenue generated through education cess on all union taxes?

Answer options

Q48:

Human Capital Formation

Easy

Human capital considers education and health as a means to increase labour productivity. Human development is based on the idea that education and health are integral to human well-being because only when people have the ability to read and write and the ability to lead a long and healthy life, they will be able to make other choices which they value. Human capital treats human beings as a means to an end; the end being the increase in productivity.

Do you know how much the government spends on education? This expenditure by the government is expressed in two ways (i) as a percentage of 'total government expenditure' (ii) as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The percentage of 'education expenditure of total government expenditure' indicates the importance of education in the scheme of things before the government. The percentage of 'education expenditure of GDP' expresses how much of people's income is being committed to the development of education in the country.

Government of India has also started levying a 2 per cent 'education cess' on all Union taxes. The revenues from education cess has been earmarked for spending on elementary education. The spread of education and health services across different sectors of society should be ensured so as to simultaneously attain economic growth and equity. India has a rich stock of scientific and technical manpower in the world. The need of the hour is to better it qualitatively and provide such conditions so that they are utilised in India.

Identify the source of human capital formation which is used as a means to increase labour productivity?

Answer options

Q49:

Human Capital Formation

Easy

Human capital considers education and health as a means to increase labour productivity. Human development is based on the idea that education and health are integral to human well-being because only when people have the ability to read and write and the ability to lead a long and healthy life, they will be able to make other choices which they value. Human capital treats human beings as a means to an end; the end being the increase in productivity.

Do you know how much the government spends on education? This expenditure by the government is expressed in two ways (i) as a percentage of 'total government expenditure' (ii) as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The percentage of 'education expenditure of total government expenditure' indicates the importance of education in the scheme of things before the government. The percentage of 'education expenditure of GDP' expresses how much of people's income is being committed to the development of education in the country.

Government of India has also started levying a 2 per cent 'education cess' on all Union taxes. The revenues from education cess has been earmarked for spending on elementary education. The spread of education and health services across different sectors of society should be ensured so as to simultaneously attain economic growth and equity. India has a rich stock of scientific and technical manpower in the world. The need of the hour is to better it qualitatively and provide such conditions so that they are utilised in India.

If the human capital treats human beings as a means to an end then what does that end refers to in the above sentence?

Answer options

Q50:

Human Capital Formation

Easy

Human capital considers education and health as a means to increase labour productivity. Human development is based on the idea that education and health are integral to human well-being because only when people have the ability to read and write and the ability to lead a long and healthy life, they will be able to make other choices which they value. Human capital treats human beings as a means to an end; the end being the increase in productivity.

Do you know how much the government spends on education? This expenditure by the government is expressed in two ways (i) as a percentage of 'total government expenditure' (ii) as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The percentage of 'education expenditure of total government expenditure' indicates the importance of education in the scheme of things before the government. The percentage of 'education expenditure of GDP' expresses how much of people's income is being committed to the development of education in the country.

Government of India has also started levying a 2 per cent 'education cess' on all Union taxes. The revenues from education cess has been earmarked for spending on elementary education. The spread of education and health services across different sectors of society should be ensured so as to simultaneously attain economic growth and equity. India has a rich stock of scientific and technical manpower in the world. The need of the hour is to better it qualitatively and provide such conditions so that they are utilised in India.

What are the two ways through which expenditure by the government on education is expressed in percentage?

Answer options

CUET Economics 2026 21 May Shift 1 Past Year Question Paper

Every question from the CUET Economics 2026 21 May Shift 1 paper is here in full, with the correct answer and a step by step solution for each one. It is completely free, there is no login and no paywall, and you can read the whole paper online or download it to revise offline.

You can also attempt it instead of only reading it. Take the paper as a full length mock under exam conditions, or filter it by topic and attempt just that topic as a topic test. Both are free, and you get a breakdown of your accuracy, your timing and your weak areas once you submit.

CUET Economics past year questions (PYQs) are the closest thing to the real exam, so working through them is the quickest way to learn the paper pattern, the marking scheme and the level of difficulty to expect on the day.