Awesome, is the word! :)

I would say, his program is a Mini-MA Economics program. The way he teaches all the topics (Micro, Maths, Stats, Econometrics, Macro) is exemplary!
What I really like about his classes is the way he starts any topic from a very-basic problem and then take it to an advance-level problem. He knows how to motivate a problem so that students can connect to it.

What he offers to ensure a smooth learning process?

1) Regular quizzes and online tests.
2) Challenging questions in form of Homeworks.
(Trust me, If you do all his homework questions , quizzes and tests then you're qualified to call yourself a Masters in Economics.. :D )
3) A platform to discuss doubts through various online discussion portals.
4) Last but the most important is the Motivation to aim for learning and knowledge.

Thanks

Amazing is the word!

I had taken trials at various coaching institutes before joining Amit sir's classes. The way sir teach is exemplary. He teaches not just the textbook way but also in an intiutive way. Some of things he teaches cannot be found in text books but are very helpful. I cleared both IGIDR and JNU and I would give most of the credit to sir. He is more of a mentor and makes you believe that you can do it.

He just doesn't teach for entrances but prepares your concepts such that you find ease in your masters. My masters program started 2 weeks ago and I can already feel those 6 hour classes helping.

I would definitely recommend Amit sir's classes if you want the best.!

Hello!

Note: This answer is for average (and above average) students, and total beginners in the field of math.

Firstly analyze yourself whether you qualify yourself fit to study in ISI or CMI. By being fit to study, I mean to say if you love math. If your target is just to get a brand name or just qualify the exam for “a” college, please don't take the exams.

Now that you are sure that you are a math lover, you can proceed to read my suggestions.

Firstly I'd suggest that you know your 10+2 board level math pretty well. Next it's better to be associated with some coaching institution (or maybe private tutoring) where people focus on basic math rather than JEE. (Doing only JEE coaching for ISI/CMI math is likely to spoil your math base). Such kind of motivation really helps.

Recommended texts: Problem Solving Strategies (pdf available) (which I'll refer as PSS), Test of mathematics at the 10+2 level (published by ISI) (which I'll refer as TOMATO), An excursion in mathematics (which I'll refer as Excursion). Also refer to some standard textbook for calculus definitions (like Bartle-Sherbert or Apostol).

The syllabus is just high school math. I'd broadly classify the syllabus into the following topics:

• Number Theory: My personal favourite. Questions seem to attack the common sense (afterall, they're beautiful numbers, which are close to one's conscience). Read Excursion for basics. Solve a few exercise problems. Try out the problems on TOMATO. If confortable, do PSS exercises (examples are hard).
• Combinatorics: You can expect beautiful problems from here. CMI lives upto this expectation. In ISI, the combi problem(s) will certainly be tricky. Know very well when to add and when to multiply. Know P&C of 11th grade like the back of your hand. Read Excursion for basics. The only mantra to master this topic is to practise lots and lots of problems. Again, Excursion for basics. Read through PSS as well (easy questions from chapters 1,3,4,5 are very very important). Do all questions from TOMATO without help (if you stumble, think later, but solve on your own).
• Algebra: Know your high school algrbra very well. Besides this, you might want to know (and understand) the triangle inequality, the AM-GM-HM inequality and the Cauchy-Schwartz inequality. It'll be your added advantage if you some further tricks in solving problems fir algebra. But it's pretty fun to analyze algebraic structures and draw analogies from other fields (which makes the topic super interesting). Polynomials is an important subtopic. Theory from Excursion and practising problems from TOMATO is enough.
• Geometry: Yet another treasure (Coordinate geometry must be your last option). Even if you love Eucledian geometry, nobody can assure that you can answer a question in the paper. Revise all the geometry theorems and lemmas that you had done in your 9th and 10th grade. Ask your coaching institute guide to help you out with topics and problems. Nothing much to read from Excursion. But practise from TOMATO and the easier problems from Excursion.
• Calculus: Very much weighted for ISI paper. Know everything very precisely. Before applying a theorem or a lemma, make sure you can prove it. Requirements: Definition of sequence, limit (of sequence and function), continuity, differentiability. Extreme value theorem (proof not needed), Intermediate value theorem(proof not needed), sandwich theorem, mean value theorems (Rolle, Lagrange's MVT, Cauchy's MVT), MVT for integral, Darboux theorem, one-one-ness of a continuous monotone function etc. Please ask your coaching teacher to guide you, or ask help from someone experienced. Read Apostol or Bartle-Sherbert for theorem statements snd definition. For practice, try out TOMATO.

After knowing the basics of these topics, you might want to try out many A1 and A2 problems from Putnam contest. It's okay if you can't solve by yourself. See the solutions and learn. You might face many questions which cover concepts from multiple topics. These test your actual ability to think. But if you can't solve a problem, don't get discouraged.

For MCQ in ISI, practise math papers of JEE mains (avoid solving too many questions from coordinate geometry and indefinite integration). CMI questions have an added Olympiad flavour to them. So practising Excursion and PSS helps.

Before sitting for the exams, make sure that you complete TOMATO (each and every question, with or without help) and all the past year questions of ISI nad CMI. Keep away a few MCQ papers (of ISI) as unseen ones so that you can use them for time-bound practise a couple of weeks before the D-day.

If you think you're pretty comfortable with a topic, please go for PSS (Don't start with the mentality that you'll complete it, save for a few exceptional ones). Even solving the first 15 problems (in each exercise) by youself is good enough.

Overall, TOMATO is very impprtant and must be solved completely. Excursion is for reference. PSS is for further problem solving practice to gain experience.

The interview in ISI is very important. The interview panel will sit with your subjective copy and they'll ask abt any conceptual errors that you made in your paper. Be prepared to face that. Not even God can help if your concepts aren't crystal clear. It's okay if they ask you to solve a problem and you solve it with the hints they provided (or don't solve it completely). I repeat, they don't tolerate basic mistakes. But don't worry, even if you make such errors that may not appeal to your eye, they'll point it out and you'll get a chance to correct youself . Pease think aloud. They want to know your thought process (it won't matter even if you dont solve a problem fully).

Another very important point is to find yourself a math community. This keeps your zeal intact. One way is to (mathematically) socialize with your friends at the coaching centre. If there aren't enough enthusiastic candidates, you can always find an online community. The best one that I know so far is Art of Problem Solving (aops.com). Every year, an ISI/CMI preparation group is created. You can keep yourself updated with math everyday on such a forum, besides discussing “other” beautiful ways to approach a particular sum. There are pr0 people (like IMO medalists) there to help you too.

2 years should be enough to prepare for ISI and CMI, provided you are sincere enough. There's no need to sacrifice sleep. Proper sleep enhances your performance. Just remember to brush up your concepts and practice problems regularly.

Signing off, wish you all the best!

Hi,

CMi and ISI entrance examinations test your basic aptitude for mathematics, test your problem solving ability which is absolutely necessary to have a bright career in academics.

So, focus on the specific sections of the question paper.

1. Calculus: One the most important parts for the CMi entrance and equally important for the ISI entrance. You have to have a no-nonsense complete understanding of the basics of the subject and acquire problem solving abilities too.
   Books to be suggested are:
   a) Problems In Calculus Of One Variable by IA Maron
   b) Principles of Mathematical Analysis by Walter Rudin (this is not necessary but if you want to get a hang if what you will be learning in the UG course and to get your definitions very clear, have a look)
2. Number theory: Olympiad style number theory problems have often been seen in both the question papers.
   Books to be suggested are:
   a)Introduction to Number Theory by David M. Burton (for theoretical enrichment)
   b)104 Number Theory Problems by Dorin Andrica, Titu Andreescu, and Zuming Feng(this is particularly for problem solving and getting a hang of how well you have understood the theoretical part)
3. Combinatorics: Ah, this is the most important for the ISI entrance and the CMi entrance, too, requires a fair bit of it.
   One fair suggestion would be to imbibe counting into your soul as it is required almost everywhere.
   Another thing, not only do counting but get a good hang of graph theory as well. It is an awesome tool for solving seemingly difficult problems instantly.
   Books to be suggested:
   a) Problem Solving Strategies by Arthur Engel (this is a god-level book, quite difficult,as I felt,to understand. But contains classic tricks and examples of mastering combinatorics.
   b) Mathematical Olympiad Treasures by Titu Andreescu and Bogdan Enescu (another olympiad book :3)
   c)Mathematical Olympiad Challenges by Titu Andreescu and Razvan Gelca
4. Geometry: Less treaded path and not much required for these. But still at times you can expect an odd question or two.
   Books to be suggested:
   a)Mathematical Circles: (Russian Experience) by D. Fomin, I. Itenberg, and S. Genkin
   b) Geometry Revisited by HSM Coxeter
5. Inequalities: Another less treaded path but you can expect a question or 2 at times
   Books to be suggested:
   Inequalities: A Mathematical Olympiad Approach by Bulajich Manfrino, Radmila, Gómez Ortega, José Antonio, Valdez Delgado, Rogelio

After all these for pre exam preparations you can look at previous Olympiad problems, as well as previous entrance exam papers.

Try learning more, solving more, writing up more and more solutions. More importantly try to improve your basic mathematical intellect.

Enjoy mathematics as you learn it. It is so beautiful. :D

Best of luck,

Cheers,

Razorspeed. :D

My interest in Economics started when i was in my last year of Mechanical Engineering at NIT-Surat. I used to watch lectures of Prof. Shiller on Financial Markets and found them very fascinating. These lectures were pivotal in pushing me towards studying economics at masters level. I bought books on Introduction to Economics and studied them with great curiosity and interest. The more i studied, more i wanted to go into technical details.

I seriously began my preparation after i quit my first job as Plant Engineer in the month of February 2012. I looked into the syllabus of Delhi University BA Hons in Economics for first two years and bought myself the reading list suggested in them.

For better understanding of economic concepts, i used to download assignments from top American universities like MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford etc. I found their assignments very conceptual and fun to work on. I would highly recommend this for anyone and not just for economics, but for any other field.

For Macroeconomics, i studies Olivier Blanchard book and was lucky to find archives of assignments he used when he used to teach the course at MIT. This provided me tons of questions with solutions on Macroeconomics. Actually, i studied lots of Macroeconomics from 3–4 books. Macroeconomics is quite different in terms of how they go about modelling economic behaviours at large scale as compared to Microeconomics, which seems quite straightforward application of mathematical models of supply and demand.

Due to paucity of time, i left Econometrics thinking that at max, they’d ask 4–5 questions which i could afford to skip in order to focus on topics which i was good at. But i was wrong and when i first scanned through the paper , the only thing that was in my head was, how in the hell they know that i did not studied Econometrics ? I felt that whole world is conspiring against me. It’s unfair.

But it turned out well in the end. The most important factor which ultimately got me the seat at DSE was my decision to not attempt a question which i was not 100% sure. I promised myself that i would not mark any question on answer sheet if i was not willing to bet my life on. I needed to be 110% sure that i am right about this. Out of 100 marks, i attempted 49 out of it with a gut feeling that no matter what, my score would not go below 40. And i believe that’s exactly what happened.

And one fine evening, i saw a mail from my friend Vasudha Jain with the subject Congratulations. I thought JNU results are out and i got in. I opened the link and scanned through the list and i could not find my name on it. I saw another name, which sounded like mine and i thought maybe Vasudha in excitement got bit confused. Again, i felt this world conspiring against me. I relaxed and thought, if i am on this list, then i am probably at the bottom of it. I said to myself, let me take a look again from the bottom this time. And here i was, sitting at 105 out of total 120 guys or so.

So, that’s how i prepared at very high level. I believe that with the kind of online resources that are available now, anyone with no background of economics like me can give a serious attempt at cracking this exam.

For maths (Econometrics included), which i believe accounts for 50% marks, there are excellent online-material available.

Probability : Introduction to Probability - The Science of Uncertainty

Linear Algebra : Lec 1 | MIT 18.06 Linear Algebra, Spring 2005

Econometrics : Economics 421/521 - Econometrics - Winter 2011 - Lecture 1 (HD)

For anyone, preparing for next year DSE exam, i would recommed that they learn R Programming and do coding exercises for better understanding of these mathematical ideas and how they are used in real life.

Thanks for reading this and let me know if you have some other doubt/query.

Before I answer, let me narrate an old incident heard during my college days.

Once upon a time, there was an owner of a construction company who was fond of expediting pending projects by quoting: “Put more men on the job.”

He always got the desired results and the projects were completed sometimes even before the scheduled time. Win-win for all.

Once his wife was pregnant with the second child. The first child was joyous and eager to meet the newborn baby. The mother assured him that it will take approximate 6 months more for the baby to be delivered. The child calmly and confidently replied: “Put more men on the job.”

Ignorant: maybe

Innocent: definitely.

Now, let us understand and answer your query.

Based on my past experience teaching in Engineering colleges: Mechanical Engineers are generally weak in Engineering Mathematics paper. You may be an exception.

MSQE has two papers.

The first paper will test your grasp over the fundamentals of Mathematics at the undergraduate level.

Engineers normally tend to avoid proving the formulas, and key theorems. They focus on the application of the formula.

MSQE will test your knowledge of key formulas and theorem, their exceptions, derivations, etc. Merely mugging up the formula will not help. You will have to look at the simplest of formulas from diverse viewpoints. You will have to focus on exceptions. Errors may be made in ignoring one of the key conditions. This maturity takes time unless you have been practicing and mulling over the fundamentals of mathematics over a long period of time. If yes, then 2 months are enough. If not, then it might be a challenge.

The second paper will focus on Economics. You will have to brush up key concepts and applications from Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, Game Theory, Optimization, Growth and Development, etc.

Not only you have to read the basic texts, but you also have to learn to apply them in diverse contexts. Tweak the key conditions…ask ‘what if?’ for every definition, example or illustration. You will have to solve numerical examples from the Schaum series and then the core texts. This again takes time. 2 months is not enough unless you are in the flow over a long period of time.

I appreciate your recent affinity towards Economics and especially the MSQE course. However, make it a dedicated pursuit and ponder over the key concepts and theories. It takes time … and “putting more men on the job” or “extending the work hours” will not necessarily do justice to the task at hand.

However, have faith in your capabilities and focus yourself over the next 2 months. I have shared some strategies in the below-mentioned answers. Read them thoroughly and give it your best shot.

Deepak Dwivedi's answer to Which book should I prefer to prepare for maths section of ISI MSQE?

Deepak Dwivedi's answer to How do I prepare for the calculus portion of the ISI MSQE exam?

Best wishes for your entrance.

Note: Irrespective of the output in the next two months, dedicate a year to the pursuit of MSQE religiously … it will be a quantum leap in your intellectual repertoire, your current salary, and the job satisfaction that you will derive while working for the top management consultancies in India and abroad. MSQE is worth it.

I.S.I. M.Math, the syllabus has recently changed from the year 2019. The first part i.e. the PMA section will no longer have questions from 10+2 level, now the MCQs will be mostly from college-level mathematics. The syllabus mainly focuses on the real analysis part from where half of the questions come in the subjective paper and the other half comes from linear algebra and abstract algebra. For real analysis start reading Introduction to Real Analysis by Robert G. Bartle & Donald R. Sherbert and then when you are done with your basics go for these two books Mathematical Analysis by Tom Apostol and Principles of Mathematical Analysis by Walter Rudin. One will help you with a much better theory coverage and the later one will have superb exercises. That’s what even I did when I was preparing for the exam. Then there is a part from metric space for which the book Topology of Metric Spaces by S. Kumaresan is the best with some nice examples and exercises and which will help you to solve the continuity problems from the book by Walter Rudin. You will have added advantage if you know complex analysis and topology.

Coming to the algebra part, you have one of the best video lecture series by Gilbert Strang from MIT which is available on youtube. You can read the book Introduction to Linear Algebra by Serge Lang, and solve its exercises. This book has a different approach in Linear algebra and the eigenvalue exercise will have some questions which will be easier to solve if you had followed the approach of the book for eigenvalues. Solve the exercises from Linear Algebra by Hoffman & Kunze.

For the abstract part, the best book is Abstract Algebra by David S. Dummit and Richard M. Foote, if you can cover this book then you are very much done, but for starters, I would suggest Topics in algebra by Israel Nathan Herstein and Contemporary Abstract Algebra by Gallian. You will feel like reading a storybook when you read the book by I.N. Herstein, the book has used group action to prove many things but haven’t used the word, “Group Action” and also the challenging problems in the exercises will be thrilling. The book by Gallian will have most of the theories covered and the exercises will help you clear your fundamentals.

Along with these solve the previous year's papers and this will be enough for your written exam as well as the interview if you get a chance.

All the subjective MMATH solutions for the year 2019, 2018 are here: ISI MMath Solutions and Discussion 2019 : PMB, ISI MMath Solutions and Discussion 2018 : PMB

If you think you still need a guide then my recommendation would be Mr. Arkabrata Das. You will find him at www.fractionshub.com. He has written all the solutions to the previous year’s papers in his website and also he is training a group for the M.Math exam and is one of the best in town.

Exam Pattern and Syllabus

For ISI M.Math:

Test Codes: PMA (Multiple-choice Type) and

PMB (ShortAnswerType).

Questions will be set on the following and related topics.

• Countable and uncountable sets; • equivalence relations and partitions; • convergence and divergence of sequence and series; • Cauchy sequence and completeness; • Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem; • continuity, uniform continuity, differentiability, Taylor Expansion; • partial and directional derivatives, Jacobians; • integral calculus of one variable – existence of Riemann integral, • fundamental theorem of calculus, change of variable, improper integrals; • elementary topological notions for metric spaces – open, closed and compact sets; • connectedness, continuity of functions; • sequence and series of functions; • elements of ordinary differential equations.

• Vector spaces, subspaces, basis, dimension, direct sum; • matrices, systems of linear equations, determinants; • diagonalization, triangular forms; • linear transformations and their representation as matrices; • groups, subgroups, quotient groups, homomorphisms, products, • Lagrange’s theorem, Sylow’s theorems; • rings, ideals, maximal ideals, prime ideals, quotient rings, • integral domains, Chinese remainder theorem, polynomial rings, fields.

• Elementary discrete probability theory: combinatorial probability, conditional probability, Bayes’ Theorem, binomial and Poisson distributions.

I did not appear for CMI entrance. So I have no idea. I can guide you for ISI (B.Stat) entrance only. I am not a mathematical person. My answer is for the students who are not too much talented guys like Olympiad medalists , INMO awardees or even RMO rankers (too much common in ISI). But if you follow my path I believe you also have a chance to get into.

First of all ISI has generally batch strength of 30–45 students. But in the final list(after interview) there are 65–75 students. Rest of the students reject the offer to join CMI/IIT/IISc. So It is easier than what you think. But don’t take this seriously. Because 65 is not enough. So it is better not to prepare full time for it if you belong to the mentioned category. For my case I prepared for WBJEE and JEE Main (NOT advanced due to my horrible chemistry knowledge). Just culture Mathematics more than PC. So, my plan B was ready. So prepare for Main / Adv / WBJEE ( better to say Jadavpur University Entrance).

Don’t forget to fill up the application form!!!! It is one of the important step!! Because here they will ask you B.Stat or B.Math?? You may not have Statistics in your 10+2. Believe me it doesn’t matter. You can learn Stat from the beginning in the B.Stat course. As far I know B.Stat cut-offs are generally less than B.Math. And if you want job after masters then B.Stat is better option. These are my opinion. Please fill the form according to your opinion and intelligence .

If you are preparing for JEE then I suggest to give more importance on mcq paper. Because It is your strong point at the end of the day. The questions are asked in mcq paper is easier than JEE Adv. You can even solve it without doing any proper calculation. And I think 2 hour time is enough to do this 30 questions if you have strong preparation for JEE.

For the weaker students like me subjective part is the main challenge. The guys who cracked the entrance confidently with top ranks can answer even all the 8 questions or minimum 6 questions. Shocked?? Calm down.. follow the strategy. Buy a book named TOMATO (published by ISI itself). Take a tution class from class 11 where you can learn mathematics really. Ask your teacher to give you some subjective problems on Number theory , Geometry , Combinatorics (from the beginning of 11) and Calculus (from the mid-12). If you could not find such teacher then use the book TOMATO as your only source of problems. Try these problems in your free time apart from JEE preparation. In class 11 you may appear for RMO exam to experience such questions (excluding Calculus).

Now I give you an overview of my own result. In 2017 the cut-off for Interview list was 181/360. Weightage of mcq paper is 120×1 and subjective paper was 80×3. If you can score more than 90 or even 100 in mcq paper then subjective becomes less important. ISI entrance does not have any negative markings. You will get 1 mark to leave a question. So try to answer 25 questions (25×4 = 100) correctly. I might got near about 100 marks here. Then in the subjective part I could answer 3 and a half questions among 8. I was not pretty sure about that half answer. If I got 30 around score within 80 then in the weightage for interview call it became 30×3=90. So I got a call for Interview.

Interviews are generally consist of 6 to 7 professors of ISI Kolkata for B.Stat. They generally ask you to solve a question from subjective paper which you would not attempt. Then some questions of combinatorics , simple number theory may be asked. Sometimes they may ask about your expected marks in McQ and subjective paper. You can check your marks of McQ paper from the final answer key. So it is easier but important to answer this kind of questions properly. Try your best and control your nerve. Don’t be oversmart. Here luck really matters.

In 2017 ISI published a first list and waiting list separately. They considered the previous 360 marks and 120 in the interview , a total of 480 marks to prepare the list. Even in the final list mcq has weightage of 25%. Interview has also 25%. In 2017 there were 47 students in the first list and 18 in the waiting. Obviously I was in the waiting list. I didn’t have any hope on the result day 27th June. But in 7th July they called almost everyone of the final list (total 65 students, 43 of them accepted the offer). In the year of 2016 there was no waiting list. 72 students (more than 65) got the final call. So it varries year by year.

Don’t be upset if you won’t get it. I say don’t take it seriously if you are not confident. There are IITs , NITs , BITS , DTU , JU , IIEST , BITM , COEP waiting for you.

But if you get the final call , come here at 205, B.T.Road. You will get a definitely a small but beautiful family.

Best of luck!!!

It’s definitely not worth joining Sourav Sir’s classes. It would be a total waste of your money and time. I enrolled for ISI BStat. They take just one class in a week, which is not at all sufficient if you really wish to clear ISI. It was said that each class is going to be of 90mins, but it never exceeded 60mins. There was no punctuality. Coming to the most important part, the way of explanation of concepts is miserable. They expect you to know the conceptual part beforehand and they don’t go into the details and tricks of the sums. The worst part was, they don’t accept doubts during an ongoing session. They ask you to WhatsApp the doubts, but you never get any response to them. Lastly, they promise that they shall take mock tests. I myself knocked them multiple times and requested for mock tests, however nobody responded. I personally had a really bad experience.

I came to know about this exam in 2020 but seriously started preparing only in 2022 . I was on deputation at Central Electricity Authority, Ministry of Power. My routine at workplace allowed me to study effectively for 1–2 hours in office time.

There are 4 major sections involved in the syllabus.

• Maths 11th and 12th level (Algebra, Calculus, Set theory).
• Statistics (Probability , Random Variables, Distribution Functions and their Mean , Variance)
• Microeconomics ( Consumer Theory, General Equlibrium, Producer Theory, Public Goods, Welfare Economics)
• Macroeconomics (Simple Keynesian Model, IS-LM model, Solow Growth Model, Open Economy)

I had been JEE and GATE aspirant before , so I was already thorough with Mathematics and Statistics concepts. However, Statistics questions are asked in depth in ISI and can be tricky unlike GATE. For references, one can read Varian for Microeconomics, Mankiw or Dornbusch for Macroeconomics , Sheldon ross for Statistics and any JEE Mains level book for Maths section. However, not everything needs to be covered from cover to cover , one must take help from Previous Years Questions (PYQ) and solve them for atleast two times. Problem solving is the key for ISI.

Result:

MSQE 2022 : Scored 92/120 in Objective while Cutoff was 95 approx (Hence Subjective was not checked)

MSQE 2023: Scored 70/120 in Objective while Cutoff was 60 for subjective paper to be checked. Cutoff for interview was 159 out of 360 and overall cutoff for selection in merit list (including reserve list) was 453 out of 820.

Verdict:- Secured AIR 27 :)

There 2 cuttoff list first for selection of interview candidates and the second one is for for final admission.

MMA code is for paper 1 i.e objective type and PMB is for paper 2 i.e subjective type and INT is for interview.

This is for selected interview candidates.

This is merit list.

Seat allotment is done according to overall marks and quota specifications given by institute.

Thanks for the A2A.

I just kept things simple. Did what all I have been writing in my other answers. It was my dream to be a part of DSE. Specially after not being able to attend a campus college of my choice, I was determined to crack DSE. So, whenever I got bored/tried of studying, jealous of seeing my friends partying/enjoying (and wanting to be a part of the outings) I reminded myself of the times I used to cry for not being able to attend the undergrad college pf my choice. More than anything else, I wanted to prove myself to myself ( not anyone else) that I am capable of it.

I was thorough with the syllabus, did past years 3–4 times, practiced a lot of questions and googled everything I could not understand. The web is full of good material!

So yeah, just be confident and keep working hard. Success will come automatically!

Good luck!

Here’s the light you requested.

The following is data from MSQE 2016:

Cutoffs for Interview -

GENERAL: PEA ≥ 82/120, PEB ≥ 24/120

OBC (NCL): PEA ≥ 73.8/120, PEB ≥ 21.6/120

SC/ST/DA: PEA ≥ 65.6/120, PEB ≥ 19.2/120

Note that till 2016 (including), PEB was subjective and hence the low cutoffs. Cutoff for 2017 PEB may be expected at par with PEA (or marginally lower). There may even be a combined cutoff, you never know.

Total number of candidates called for interview: 51 (Delhi), 17 (Kolkata)

Number of candidates finally offered admission: 31 (Delhi), 14 (Kolkata)

Total number of students appearing for MSQE 2017 (for ISI Delhi): ~2000 (guesstimate)

Number of Test Centres for MSQE 2017 (for both Delhi and Kolkata): 38

EDIT 1: (8 June 2017)

Cutoffs for 2017 interviews are out -

GENERAL: PEA ≥ 66/120 & PEB ≥ 54/120 & (PEA + PEB) ≥ 163/240

OBC (NCL): PEA ≥ 59.4/120 & PEB ≥ 48.6/120 & (PEA + PEB) ≥ 146.7/240

SC/ST/DA: PEA ≥ 46.2/120 & PEB ≥ 37.8/120 & (PEA + PEB) ≥ 114.1/240

Total number of candidates called for interview: 64 (Delhi), 36 (Kolkata)

Sources:

Interview List:

2016

http://www.isical.ac.in/~admission/IsiAdmission2016/IsiInterviewList2016/MSQEINTLIST2016.pdf

2017

http://www.isical.ac.in/~admission/IsiAdmission2017/Interview2017/MSQE-D-2017-FINAL.pdf

Final List:

2016

http://www.isical.ac.in/~admission/IsiAdmission2016/IsiFinalList2016/DelhiFinallistmsqekol2016.pdf

List of Students at ISI-Delhi:

MSQE Students | Academic Affairs

DSE entrance exam one of difficult exam to crack but if someone study systematic way, Even non Economics background students can crack the this exam with serious hard work in smart way. Now question is how to prepare for this exam (should have Min. 5-6 months preparation time). This exam is 100 marks exam for cracking exam and you need around 40-45 marks (if Moderate - difficult level ) or 44-50 Marks (If Easy Level). So if you get 50% paper correct then there will big chance of admission in DSE. This Exam is about how you have deep Knowledge about Topic. And Exam always have Questions on same topics Like

In Macro topics Important as well for exam IS-LM Model based, Solow Growth, Marshall- lerner Model Based Questions 4-5 questions there is always chances that question will come from these topic.

In Micro-Game theory, General Equilibrium based Questions (Give you 2-3 utility Cobb-Douglas ,Min and Max Utility with constraints to find out Equilibrium price, competitive equilibria),

In Mathematics Functions,Maxima/Minima,Limits, Sum of series, Linear algebra, Matrices and determinates, Vectors, Integrations etc. .

In Econometrics and Statistics - Probability and Gujarati’s Introductory Econometrics (1-7 Chapter only)

you can check trend of paper resource crackdse

You can make your Preparation Plan according to availability of time that you have. and maintain you daily question data

and if you are non economics background student

First of all read the two books by Mankiw on Micro and Macro and for Mathematics do what You what you did in 11 and 12 th maths. and you can shared problems and solve others

http://economicsentrance.weebly....

Books are Recommended by DSE (but do only one book not all and imp Book are in BOLD)

Microeconomics: Hal Varian (Intermediate Microeconomics), Hal Varian Workbook, Osborne (for game theory), Nicholson and Snyder (for production theory )

Macroeconomics: Dornbusch and Fischer, O. Blanchard, Development Economics by Debraj Ray (for Solow and Harrod Domar growth models)

Econometrics and Statistics: Gujarati’s Introductory Econometrics and

S C Gupta and VK Kapoor ( for practice Statistics).

ALL THE BEST

Thanks

For more detailed answers read my blog on Medium.

Since I am from an Engineering background I can tell about the engineering stream and I have no idea about the Statistics stream.

So the paper has two sections.

1)Mathematics.

2)Engineering.

For the mathematics section,solve questions from TOMATO, previous year papers, Arihant books, and Engineering Mathematics books according to the syllabus.

The books I recommend are:

1)Arihant JEE Maths books

2)TOMATO

3)BS GREWAL

For concept building watch the videos SAMEER SIR of UNACADEMY on YT.

For the Engineering section, the important books are:

1)P K NAG

2)R S KHURMI

3)B C PUNIA

4)MECHNICS BOOK BY DC PANDEY

You don’t have to solve the entire book but just the parts that are in syllabus.

Sayonara.

Rudrajit has beautifully answered the question so I am not repeating it again.

Coaching definitely Ramanujan is the class to attend. Provided they find you eligible enough for it. TOMATO and previous year question papers are an absolute must to finish before appearing in the entrance tests.

For specific maths theory get hold of the syllabus, find standard books on them, come and ask ramanujan teachers / isi students by coming to ISI.

Can also get hold of Ctanujit classes study materials and courses.

Either buy them or xerox them from the ISI library.

Persistence and smart work is mandatory to come to ISI!

All the best!

It’s really not. I’m tired of writing the honest answers that hopefully will flood above scam and fraudulent reviews that his coaching croonies have posted here on Quora, but it’s not.

I was preparing for JAM2021, and I enrolled in the coaching in late 2019. In the beginning too he was solving questions which made me think if he was just teaching the batch for JAM2020. I made my peace with it for a while, but this behaviour continued until late in 2020 when I realised that he’s just making money out of naive online surfers. I was one of them, and I regret spending 21000Rs for something that could’ve been done in less than 5000 had I went to YouTube and searched there.

Hi,

If the syllabus didn't change in the last three years, then my answer will be useful.

It's mid January the exam will be in May, so you have less than 4 months. I don't know if you have any other exams in between. So I will suggest you a list of things to do, in a priority order.

1. Solving the last 10–12 years. While solving please identify your area of strength and weakness.
2. If you have enough time I will suggest that you to practice subjective problems from ML Khanna. This is a book for JEE, but the initial problems in a chapter are doable and conceptual. So try to do first few sums. Doing subjective actually improvises your maths. Do this selectively depending on your need. For chapters not in ML Khanna you can refer your maths pass books for that.
3. The most important step is to revise, this time MCQs. Ensure your revision is complete with depth.

I don't know your level of mathematics. So my advice is very general one.

All the best.

Do well.

Thanks for the A2A. With almost 3 months left I would suggest you practice the previous years (last 20 years) as much as possible. Do them 10 times. Google the questions you don’t understand. I have been saying this repeatedly that the web is full of knowledge, try fetching it! Whatever be the pattern ( which subject is tested more), the level of questions asked more or less remains the same. Hence, you should make yourself acquainted to them the most. Remember whatever conceptual knowledge you gain by reading books again and again, if you don’t learn the ‘art’ of solving questions, clearing the entrance would be very difficult.

So grab a copy of previous years from the DSE photocopy shop asap and start solving!

Good luck

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All due praise belongs to Allaah, and may salutations and peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah, upon his family, companions and those who follow his guidance. To proceed…

Thanks for the A2A. So, it seems you are interested in Maths. Good thing. Now, first let’s get real. ISI MMath entrance examination is one of the most difficult ones in India. Talented, hardworking people from maths background itself find it really hard to qualify for admission to the programme, so it may be somewhat more difficult for someone from a non-maths background. That said, there has been cases where people from non-maths background qualified for the programme. I myself know many of them. So, here is what you have got to do. You will have to master the fundamental theories from undergraduate maths subjects, mainly Abstract Algebra and Analysis. For this, of course you need to solve a lot of problems. I can suggest some books for the various subjects.

1. For the MCQs you need to solve problems from the famous TOMATO(Test of Mathematics at the 10+2 level) book. This book is available from Saraswati Pustakalaya, which is in the same locality as ISI, Kolkata.
2. Now for the long-answer type questions:
1. For Group theory, refer to Gallian. In addition you may refer to Dummit and Foote.
2. Same as above for ring theory.
3. For linear algebra, you may refer to the one by Insel, Spence & Friedberg. I personally think the one by Rao & Bhimasankaran is better for problems.
4. For Real Analysis, the book by S.K. Mapa is indispensable. Alteast, sole the chapters on sequences and series. Along with that please attempt to solve the problems on the chapters on Continuity & Differentiability from Baby Rudin.
5. In case you need to study number theory in order to properly study Abstract Algebra, then refer to Burton.
6. For Metric spaces, please study the book by S.Kumaresan. His Real Analysis book is also good although the one by Mapa is INDISPENSABLE.
7. Solve by the problems from the notes of Kumaresan on the relevant topics. You can freely download them from the MTTS website.
8. The most important part of your preparation is in my opinion the practice of previous year papers. Solve them as much as you can. Not just the MMath ones but also from the entrance exams of other institutes like TIFR, NBHM, CMI etc.

That’s all that I could think of. If I have missed anything then you may ask me in the comments.

And Allaah knows best.

Firstly all these three exams are different on its own.

IGIDR has the pattern similar to CAT exam. they have a interview after clearing written test which is quite difficult to crack.

DSE is full quant based . You need to be thorough with your mathematical and statistical concepts and it’s application in economics. Definitely not a cake walk.

ISI personally I feel is the toughest of all. It’s complete statistics than economics. They have a extranxe exams as well as interview . It’s vwey difficult to even clear the exam. Don’t want to scare you but with regular preparation and practice you will definitely be able to clear it if you are keen on going into ISI.

Hope this helps.

All the best!

I assume you have 1 year to prepare for these exams, so I am giving you short answer here as there is plenty of stuff on Internet and here on this platform also. Really pay attention to what you are studying now in you graduation. It sounds cliche but this is your syllabus. No outside material can help you if your fundamentals are not clear. For DSE specifically, just go through each question of last 10 year papers and Try to grasp what concept is being tested instead of just solving. Same for remaining 2 Institutions.

Also keep a backup plan, if you don't want to waste a year. JNU Econ is pretty fantastic and will prepare you for 1 of the hot area of field- Developmental Economic. Good luck.

The ISI M.Stat entrance exam is widely regarded as exceptionally challenging, primarily due to its rigorous syllabus, intense competition, and emphasis on conceptual depth. The exam comprises two sections: an objective component with multiple-choice questions testing foundational knowledge in mathematics, statistics, and probability, and a subjective section featuring proof-based, analytical problems that demand creativity and advanced problem-solving skills. The syllabus spans advanced undergraduate topics such as probability theory, statistical inference, real analysis, linear algebra, and calculus, often requiring interdisciplinary thinking to tackle complex, application-oriented questions. With thousands of applicants competing for fewer than 100 seats, the exam is highly selective, attracting top-tier students from mathematics, statistics, and engineering backgrounds. The subjective section is particularly daunting, as it includes theorem proofs, multivariate calculus problems, and statistical inference challenges, all under strict time constraints. Success hinges on mastering theoretical concepts, practicing past papers extensively, and refining proof-writing and analytical abilities. Compared to other entrance exams like JAM or DUET, the ISI M.Stat stands out for its focus on theoretical rigor and unconventional problem structures. While the exam is undeniably tough, disciplined preparation—spanning 6–12 months of focused study, resource utilization (e.g., Hogg & Craig, DeGroot), and mock tests—can help candidates navigate its demands and secure a seat in this prestigious program.

Yes, there is indeed. I use it till now even after completing my post graduation for finding solutions to my doubts in economics. It is really helpful and the group instructor is quite active on that platform(which is absolutely free) and posts interesting problems from past year question papers of DSE, ISI, JNU, etc. almost daily and takes part in discussions and provides resources for self study too.

If you are keen on participating in discussions or accessing discussion portal(its free) then visit the following page to enroll:

MAECONOMICSENTRANCE at TALK ECON

Class term: other

Access code: econ101

Yes Sourav sir’s classes provides the best preparation for ISI B.Stat and B.Math. I took classes from Sourav sir’s classes and was able to crack the entrance exam in the very first attempt. The mock test series, Pyq discussion, Video lectures were highly beneficial in my case. Most of the Teachers are alumni of ISI and are best to provide you with the right kind of guidance. They even provide students with doubt clearing sessions and one on one session that will help you asses your progress and performance.

Prepare with Sourav sir’s classes to make your dream of studying in the prestigious institute a reality. you can follow a proper strategy to clear the exam in the first go.

Step 1: Know the ISI Admission Test Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

Step 2: Get the prescribed syllabus for the ISI Admission Test

Step 3: Purchase Prep Books for Preparation

Step 4: Solve the ISI Admission Test Sample Papers and ISI Question Papers from previous years

Step 5: Revise as much as you can

I think there are many better structured answers there related to study materials and as I am not from Economics background I can't help you with that .

I can say that you have good three months be serious about them stop using social media , stop taking pressure from peers ,parents what if scenarios just start studying see previous year questions papers , gather materials, clear your bascicconcepts. Take breaks in between. Enjoy your self study and do your best and keep a back up option other than these two may be anyother masters degree just for back up that way you taking care of what if situation.

And in the last month start doing time practice . And Don't ever leave a subjective question in the exam try that you never know the approach may be right and you get marks 😜

All the best . Keep on trying.

Hi!

I answered something similar, maybe you can take a look at that link.

Pratik Kashyap's answer to Is it okay to drop for the ISI MSQE? I wish to develop my quant skills.

I would advise to practice maths (specifically functions, differentiation, integration, stats, probability distributions etc.) from class 12th advance books and course material used for teaching in Econ honours (Sydsaeter and Hammond, Alpha C Chiang etc.). These are name of authors, don’t recollect the exact book names but must be something like mathematical economics.

Practice as much as you can, dedicate 1–2 hours everyday (whenever you study) for maths practice separately. Use all resources, utilise the past years question papers etc. and you will definitely succeed. Don’t let the fear of maths inhibit your ability to crack Econ entrance exams. If you have the passion for Economics, develop a new love for maths - they’re inseparable at postgraduate and PhD level.

All the best!

Pratik

Hi Nidhi!

The exams take place in May and June, generally. JNU shall take place around December 2019. IGIDR in April 2020 and the rest follow it.

So, if you start in the beginning of 2019 I think you have plenty of time for these exams.

The syllabus is undergraduate level Ecomomics. If you are starting from the beginning of the year, the biggest challenge is not the course but the focus and dedication that you'll need to stay consistent.

To start from the scratch, I guess the best way is to follow the DU BA (Honrs) Economics Course. It'll give you an idea of the topics you have to cover. Once you know the topics, you can set deadlines and maintain a rough timetable. Topic wise studies are easier. Otherwise, the syllabus becomes unmanageable. Try not to lose the consistency. Even if you can manage half an hour a day it's fine. Don't lose the grasp of it, I mean. Because it's hard to plunge back. The rest of it depends on your efforts. People ace exams with and without coaching, doesn't make a difference until you plan to self study.

After you gain some confidence over your concepts, from the books and internet download past year and sample question papers of the respective colleges and start solving. They are very important to give you an idea of the level of questions the various universities set. Also, the Internet is a beautiful resource to clear concepts you find difficult to understand. Read Economics related newspapers too to keep updated with current economic situations.

All the best. :)

You could have just googled it :). Here is the detailed version of the syllabus along with a sample question paper http://www.isical.ac.in/~deanweb/syll&sqmmath2k4.pdf

There are two part of the exam. In part A you will be asked to work out 30 m.c.q questions in 2 hours. To be safe try attempting more than 24 at least. And don’t worry about the time as 2 hours is pretty decent to solve them if you have good acquaintance with the syllabus.

In part B you shall face 8–10 descriptive problems. My advice will be to attempt all of them even you don’t get a perfect solution.Because you will be partially awarded for your approach.

Best of luck :D cheers.

Sourav sirs classes would be the best option for you.

I am sharing some of their videos

MSQE 2017

msqe 17 1

msqe 17 2

msqe 17 3

msqe 17 4

msqe 17 5

msqe 17 6

msqe 17 7

msqe 17 8

msqe 17 9.1

MSQE 17 9.2