Indian Economy MCQs

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David Ricardo, an English classical economist, developed the law of rent in 1809. He presented the law in his book On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation in 1821.
Ricardo’s theory defined rent as the portion of the earth’s produce that is paid to the landlord for the original and indestructible powers of the soil. In other words, rent is the price paid for the use of land.
Ricardo developed his theory to explain the origin and nature of economic rent. He used the economy and rent to analyze the large rise in corn and land prices during the Napoleonic wars (1805-1815).
The term “Ricardian rent” comes from Ricardo’s theory.

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The term “Bretton Woods Twins” refers to the two institutions created at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944: the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The IMF was set up to promote global monetary cooperation and stability, while the IBRD was established to help finance post-war reconstruction and development. The IBRD later became part of the World Bank Group.

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Stagflation refers to an economic situation where high inflation, stagnant economic growth, and elevated unemployment occur simultaneously. The term was coined in the 1960s. A notable period of stagflation happened during the 1970s oil crisis when global oil prices rose sharply. Policymakers find stagflation challenging because inflation and unemployment move in opposite directions to typical business cycles.

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Agricultural Finance Corporation Limited (AFC) is a development organization that provides consulting, advisory, and implementation support for agriculture and rural development in India. AFC was established in 1968 by India’s banking industry.

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In India, bank deposits that remain unclaimed or are not operated for 10 years or more are transferred by banks to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund. The Reserve Bank of India framework requires banks to identify such inactive or unclaimed balances and follow the prescribed transfer process. This helps protect depositors’ money while keeping the funds traceable and available for lawful claims by the account holder or eligible claimant.

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Sterilization involves central banks selling government securities in the open market to absorb liquidity created by foreign capital inflows. The Reserve Bank of India uses open market operations for this purpose. By selling government securities, the central bank withdraws excess rupee liquidity from the banking system. This method helps limit the expansion of the money supply and manage inflationary pressures resulting from increased foreign exchange reserves.

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Substitute goods are those goods which can be used in place of each other. Examples of substitute goods are : tea and coffee; ghee and edible oil. In case of substitute goods like tea and coffee, demand for a commodity falls with a fall in the price of other substitute goods.

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Clearing House Automated Payment System (CHAPS) is a payment system associated with the United Kingdom, not India. Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), National Automated Clearing House (NACH) and National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) are recognised payment and settlement systems used in India. Among the given options, CHAPS is therefore the one that does not belong to India’s important payment infrastructure.

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Low liquidity in the economy reduces available funds for investment and lending. Reduced lending causes a drop in demand for assets such as stocks and real estate. Historical episodes, including the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, showed falling liquidity preceded asset price declines. Central bank policies that tighten liquidity often cause comparatively lower market activity and asset devaluation.

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The fiscal deficit may be decomposed into primary deficit and interest payment. The primary deficit is obtained by deducting interest payments from the fiscal deficit. Thus, primary deficit is equal to fiscal deficit less interest payments. It indicates the real position of the government finances as it excludes the interest burden of the loans taken in the past.