Horses for courses

Neither the UPA nor the Modi government has much cared what sort of economist it appoints to what job, says the author

Of the many things the Modi government has been criticised for since 2014, one is its disinterest in economists. But if you go back a decade — more, if you want to — you will find the same problem. Neither the UPA nor the Modi government has much cared what sort of economist it appoints to what job.

There are two pivotal jobs that matter — to the extent the boys in the IAS allow them to matter. One is chief economic adviser (CEA) and the other is deputy governor in charge of economics at the RBI.

These guys are paid to