UPSC Indian Economic Service (IES) MCQs
Prepare effectively for the UPSC Indian Economic Service (IES) exam with a focused collection of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). These MCQs cover essential topics like Economics, General Studies, and Statistics, designed to match the actual exam pattern. Practicing these questions will help aspirants strengthen their understanding of economic concepts, improve problem-solving skills, and manage time efficiently during the exam. Whether you're revising key topics or testing your knowledge, these IES MCQs are a valuable resource to guide you toward success in the UPSC Indian Economic Service exam and a rewarding career in economic policy-making.
Q1. What does the law of demand state?
A. Demand increases as price increases
B. Demand decreases as price increases
C. Demand remains constant
D. Demand fluctuates randomly
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Q2. Which index is used to measure inflation?
A. Consumer Price Index (CPI)
B. Industrial Production Index
C. Unemployment Rate
D. Balance of Payments
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Q3. The fiscal deficit indicates:
A. Excess of government revenue over expenditure
B. Excess of government expenditure over revenue
C. Balance between revenue and expenditure
D. None of the above
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Q4. In the IS-LM model, what does the LM curve represent?
A. Goods market equilibrium
B. Money market equilibrium
C. Labour market equilibrium
D. Price level equilibrium
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Q5. Marginal propensity to consume (MPC) is:
A. Change in consumption/change in income
B. Change in income/change in consumption
C. Total consumption/total income
D. None of the above
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Q6. Which of the following is NOT a direct tax?
A. Income tax
B. Wealth tax
C. Customs duty
D. Corporate tax
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Q7. Inflation caused by increase in aggregate demand is called:
A. Cost-push inflation
B. Demand-pull inflation
C. Monetary inflation
D. Supply-side inflation
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Q8. The elasticity of demand measures:
A. Responsiveness of demand to price change
B. Change in income levels
C. Change in supply
D. Change in production
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Q9. Which measure is used to assess the inequality in income distribution?
A. Gini Coefficient
B. CPI
C. HDI
D. Balance of Payments
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Q10. The term “Open Market Operations” refers to:
A. Government spending
B. Central bank buying/selling government securities
C. Taxation policies
D. Import/export regulations
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Q11. Fiscal policy involves:
A. Changing government spending and taxation
B. Controlling money supply
C. Regulating bank interest rates
D. Fixing exchange rates
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Q12. Which indicator reflects economic growth?
A. Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
B. Consumer Price Index
C. Unemployment rate
D. Fiscal deficit
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Q13. The Phillips curve shows the relationship between:
A. Inflation and unemployment
B. GDP and inflation
C. Fiscal deficit and growth
D. Exchange rates and inflation
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Q14. What does the term “Balance of Payments” signify?
A. Record of all economic transactions between residents and the rest of the world
B. Government revenue
C. Imports only
D. Exports only
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Q15. Which is a characteristic of a perfectly competitive market?
A. Single seller
B. Many buyers and sellers
C. Barriers to entry
D. Price setting by sellers
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Q16. The concept of “Opportunity Cost” means:
A. Cost of lost alternatives
B. Explicit financial cost
C. Cost of raw materials
D. Fixed costs
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Q17. Which sector is classified as the tertiary sector?
A. Agriculture
B. Manufacturing
C. Services
D. Mining
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Q18. “Monopolistic Competition” is characterized by:
A. One seller
B. Few large sellers
C. Many sellers with differentiated products
D. Government control
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Q19. The term “Crowding Out Effect” refers to:
A. Increase in private investment due to government borrowing
B. Decrease in private investment due to government borrowing
C. Decrease in government expenditure
D. Increase in taxes
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Q20. Which institution regulates monetary policy in India?
A. RBI
B. SEBI
C. Finance Ministry
D. NITI Aayog
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Q21. GDP at market prices includes:
A. Net exports
B. Gross fixed capital formation
C. Indirect taxes less subsidies
D. All of the above
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Q22. The “Human Development Index” measures:
A. Economic growth alone
B. Social progress alone
C. Health, education and income
D. Employment rate
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Q23. The Laffer curve illustrates the relationship between:
A. Tax rates and tax revenue
B. Inflation and unemployment
C. GDP and consumption
D. Savings and investment
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Q24. Which of the following is NOT a fiscal policy tool?
A. Government spending
B. Taxation
C. Interest rate setting
D. Transfer payments
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Q25. In the Keynesian model, aggregate demand is:
A. Total supply in the economy
B. Sum of consumption, investment, government spending, and net exports
C. Total output
D. Total production
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Q26. Which is the largest component of India’s GDP?
A. Agriculture
B. Services
C. Industry
D. Manufacturing
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Q27. Inflation targeting in India is done by:
A. Finance Ministry
B. Prime Minister Office
C. Reserve Bank of India
D. NITI Aayog
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Q28. Which is NOT part of the Indian Planning Commission’s tasks?
A. Formulating five-year plans
B. Allocating Central Assistance
C. Conducting general elections
D. Monitoring plan implementation
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Q29. What is “Public Finance”?
A. Government revenue and expenditure management
B. Private sector investment
C. Capital markets
D. Banking regulation
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Q30. Which is the most widely used method to calculate national income?
A. Income method
B. Expenditure method
C. Production method
D. Value added method
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Q31. Which institution publishes the “Economic Survey” of India?
A. RBI
B. Ministry of Finance
C. NITI Aayog
D. Union Budget Office
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Q32. The term “GNP” stands for:
A. Gross National Product
B. Gross National Purchase
C. General National Product
D. Global National Product
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Q33. Which type of unemployment is due to seasonal variations?
A. Structural unemployment
B. Frictional unemployment
C. Cyclical unemployment
D. Seasonal unemployment
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Q34. What does “Monetary Policy” primarily regulate?
A. Government spending
B. Money supply and interest rates
C. Tax collection
D. Public debt
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Q35. Which of the following is an example of a direct tax?
A. Sales tax
B. Excise duty
C. Income tax
D. Custom duty
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