Economics MCQs – Set 9: Economic & Social Development for UPSC/PCS

  1. “Bank Rate” is the rate at which –
    (A) RBI lends to the public
    (B) Commercial banks lend to RBI
    (C) RBI lends to commercial banks
    (D) Commercial banks lend to government
    Answer: (C)
  2. An increase in the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) will –
    (A) Increase money supply
    (B) Decrease money supply
    (C) Have no effect on liquidity
    (D) Increase government expenditure
    Answer: (B)
  3. When the demand for a commodity is perfectly inelastic, the demand curve is –
    (A) Horizontal
    (B) Downward sloping
    (C) Vertical
    (D) Upward sloping
    Answer: (C)
  4. Which of the following is a fiscal tool of the government?
    (A) Open Market Operations
    (B) Repo Rate
    (C) Taxation
    (D) CRR
    Answer: (C)
  5. Which institution issues treasury bills in India?
    (A) SEBI
    (B) RBI
    (C) Ministry of Finance
    (D) NABARD
    Answer: (B)
  6. A firm is said to be in equilibrium when –
    (A) TR = TC
    (B) MR = MC
    (C) Price = MC
    (D) AR = MR
    Answer: (B)
  7. A profit-maximizing monopolist will always produce where –
    (A) Price = MC
    (B) MR = MC
    (C) AR = MR
    (D) Price = MR
    Answer: (B)
  8. In macroeconomics, the term “leakage” refers to –
    (A) Fall in demand
    (B) Savings, taxes, imports
    (C) Increase in expenditure
    (D) Government borrowings
    Answer: (B)
  9. Which of the following is included in gross investment but not in net investment?
    (A) Capital gains
    (B) Depreciation
    (C) Inventory changes
    (D) Real estate
    Answer: (B)
  10. The measure of price changes from a base year is known as –
    (A) GDP deflator
    (B) Consumer Price Index
    (C) Cost of Living Index
    (D) Price Elasticity
    Answer: (A)
  11. Which curve is backward bending at higher wages?
    (A) Supply curve of labor
    (B) Demand curve of labor
    (C) Phillips curve
    (D) Cost curve
    Answer: (A)
  12. Which sector was the focus of the first Five-Year Plan in India?
    (A) Industrial
    (B) Service
    (C) Agriculture
    (D) Infrastructure
    Answer: (C)
  13. The term “stagflation” combines –
    (A) Inflation and full employment
    (B) Inflation and growth
    (C) Inflation and stagnation
    (D) Deflation and growth
    Answer: (C)
  14. A product with close substitutes will likely have –
    (A) Inelastic demand
    (B) Perfectly inelastic demand
    (C) Elastic demand
    (D) Unitary elastic demand
    Answer: (C)
  15. The equilibrium price in a free market is determined by –
    (A) Government
    (B) Buyers
    (C) Sellers
    (D) Interaction of demand and supply
    Answer: (D)
  16. Which of the following will shift the demand curve rightward?
    (A) Decrease in income
    (B) Fall in the price of complementary good
    (C) Increase in tax
    (D) Rise in price of the good itself
    Answer: (B)
  17. What is the main source of revenue for state governments in India?
    (A) Corporation tax
    (B) GST
    (C) Excise duty
    (D) Customs duty
    Answer: (B)
  18. The supply curve under perfect competition is –
    (A) Downward sloping
    (B) Horizontal
    (C) Vertical
    (D) Upward sloping
    Answer: (D)
  19. Which of the following explains the “Paradox of Thrift”?
    (A) More savings lead to more investment
    (B) Excessive saving leads to fall in aggregate demand
    (C) Saving equals investment
    (D) Consumption is a function of income
    Answer: (B)
  20. Which organization conducts the “Consumer Confidence Survey” in India?
    (A) NSSO
    (B) SEBI
    (C) RBI
    (D) CSO
    Answer: (C)
  21. “Liquidity preference” refers to –
    (A) Preference for liquid assets
    (B) Preference for fixed deposits
    (C) Demand for investment
    (D) Interest rate preference
    Answer: (A)
  22. A monopolist can increase sales only by –
    (A) Increasing price
    (B) Reducing price
    (C) Increasing output
    (D) Creating shortage
    Answer: (B)
  23. The primary objective of IMF is to –
    (A) Promote exports
    (B) Lend to poor countries
    (C) Maintain exchange rate stability
    (D) Control inflation
    Answer: (C)
  24. Which of the following affects the marginal propensity to consume?
    (A) Income level
    (B) Expectations
    (C) Wealth
    (D) All of the above
    Answer: (D)
  25. If a product has negative income elasticity, it is –
    (A) Luxury
    (B) Normal
    (C) Inferior
    (D) Giffen
    Answer: (C)
  26. The concept of “producer surplus” is –
    (A) Total revenue – total cost
    (B) Price – minimum acceptable price
    (C) Marginal revenue – marginal cost
    (D) AR – AC
    Answer: (B)
  27. An economy is said to be in equilibrium when –
    (A) Investment = saving
    (B) Demand = supply
    (C) AD = AS
    (D) All of the above
    Answer: (D)
  28. Fiscal deficit – interest payments =
    (A) Revenue deficit
    (B) Budget deficit
    (C) Primary deficit
    (D) Monetized deficit
    Answer: (C)
  29. The slope of the consumption curve is –
    (A) MPS
    (B) MPC
    (C) APC
    (D) TPC
    Answer: (B)
  30. A country’s current account balance includes –
    (A) FDI
    (B) Loan repayments
    (C) Merchandise trade
    (D) External commercial borrowings
    Answer: (C)
  31. Under perfect competition, price equals –
    (A) Average cost
    (B) Average revenue
    (C) Marginal revenue
    (D) All of the above
    Answer: (D)
  32. A fall in price causes a movement –
    (A) Along the demand curve
    (B) Of the demand curve
    (C) Of the supply curve
    (D) Along the supply curve
    Answer: (A)
  33. The “Multiplier” was introduced by –
    (A) Adam Smith
    (B) J.M. Keynes
    (C) Ricardo
    (D) Samuelson
    Answer: (B)
  34. The intersection of demand and supply determines –
    (A) Market trend
    (B) GDP
    (C) Equilibrium price and quantity
    (D) Tax incidence
    Answer: (C)
  35. What does “crowding out effect” imply?
    (A) Public borrowing reduces private investment
    (B) Public investment increases private profits
    (C) Monetary tightening crowds out inflation
    (D) None of the above
    Answer: (A)
  36. The idea of “demand deficiency” was proposed by –
    (A) Keynes
    (B) Ricardo
    (C) Malthus
    (D) Say
    Answer: (A)
  37. Which tax is shared by centre and states?
    (A) Excise duty
    (B) Income tax
    (C) GST
    (D) Custom duty
    Answer: (C)
  38. National income measured at current prices is –
    (A) Real income
    (B) Nominal income
    (C) Disposable income
    (D) Net income
    Answer: (B)
  39. Which of the following is a merit good?
    (A) Alcohol
    (B) Cigarette
    (C) Education
    (D) Gambling
    Answer: (C)
  40. In a demand curve, a rightward shift signifies –
    (A) Increase in quantity demanded
    (B) Increase in demand
    (C) Fall in demand
    (D) Decrease in price
    Answer: (B)
  41. The term “monopolistic competition” was coined by –
    (A) J.S. Mill
    (B) Joan Robinson
    (C) E.H. Chamberlin
    (D) Alfred Marshall
    Answer: (C)
  42. Which one of the following is a qualitative tool of credit control?
    (A) Repo rate
    (B) Bank rate
    (C) Moral suasion
    (D) CRR
    Answer: (C)
  43. The Keynesian theory applies more to –
    (A) Short-run
    (B) Long-run
    (C) Classical economy
    (D) Agricultural economy
    Answer: (A)
  44. A firm’s supply curve in the short run is its –
    (A) MC curve above AVC
    (B) TC curve
    (C) MR curve
    (D) AC curve
    Answer: (A)
  45. Which of the following is not an objective of economic planning?
    (A) Increase in employment
    (B) Reduction in inequality
    (C) Inflation
    (D) Industrial growth
    Answer: (C)
  46. Subsidies lead to –
    (A) Fall in production
    (B) Rise in prices
    (C) Increase in demand
    (D) Lower supply
    Answer: (C)
  47. In economics, the term “barter” refers to –
    (A) Currency exchange
    (B) Exchange without money
    (C) Loan repayment
    (D) Tax payment in kind
    Answer: (B)
  48. Which of the following is used for inclusive development?
    (A) MNREGA
    (B) RTI Act
    (C) FDI
    (D) Liberalization
    Answer: (A)
  49. An increase in government spending leads to –
    (A) Deflation
    (B) Economic contraction
    (C) Increase in aggregate demand
    (D) Increase in imports
    Answer: (C)
  50. The most accurate measure of economic growth is –
    (A) GNP
    (B) Per capita income
    (C) GDP
    (D) GDP per capita at constant prices
    Answer: (D)

Leave a Reply