Policy and economic researchers study data on prices, growth, money, trade and public finance, and write the analysis that informs policy.
Read this first. This page rests on one dated pay figure from a named source. That is evidence of what that source states, not of what Policy / Economic Researcher roles pay across India.
●VERIFIED
≡1 observations
◷Latest 2026-04-29
Salary✓VERIFIED1 obs · MEDIUM
Demand—INSUFFICIENT
Skills↑SIGNAL1 of 1 with a sector signal
Location◐LIMITED32 cities · PLFS state factor
Industry↑SIGNAL+9% projected 2026 (Aon)
What the work is
Employers include the Reserve Bank of India, ministries through the Indian Economic Service, think tanks, universities and international bodies. The figure on this page is an RBI Grade B officer in the Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR).
How people enter it
A master's in economics
RBI's DEPR stream asks for a master's degree in economics, finance or a related subject.
RBI Grade B (DEPR)
The RBI Services Board selects DEPR officers through a written examination and an interview.
Indian Economic Service
UPSC's Indian Economic Service / Indian Statistical Service examination recruits economists to central ministries.
Think tanks and universities
Usually after a master's or a PhD; many hire research assistants straight from a master's.
What the pay figures say
One dated figure is on file. It comes from an employer's own notice. It took effect on 29 April 2026. Each card says what the figure is; open "How the figure is read" for the method and what it leaves out.
Reserve Bank of India · Officer Grade B (DR) — DEPR (Department of Economic and Policy Research)₹9,41,400 a year
Basic pay × 12: ₹78,450 per month (gross without HRA ≈ ₹1,54,936) Reserve Bank of India, Grade B direct recruits
Employer noticeRBI Grade B (DR) 2026, Advt. RBISB/DA/01/2026-27 · effective 29 April 2026
How the figure is read
DEPR (Department of Economic and Policy Research): starting basic ₹78,450 per month × 12; scale ₹78,450–1,41,600 (16 years); initial gross without HRA about ₹1,54,936 per month as stated. Starting basic pay × 12; excludes allowances.
Limits. Central-bank officer scale, one employer; basic pay only. The gross figure is stated for context and is not the value.
Employer: RBI and central government scales are fixed; think-tank and university pay vary.
A PhD opens senior research posts.
Quantitative skills such as econometrics and programming count in most research roles.
Questions
What do the Policy / Economic Researcher posts on this page pay?
Reserve Bank of India, Officer Grade B (DR) — DEPR (Department of Economic and Policy Research): Basic pay × 12: ₹78,450 per month (gross without HRA ≈ ₹1,54,936), recorded here as ₹9,41,400 a year (RBI Grade B (DR) 2026, Advt. RBISB/DA/01/2026-27).
Is that the take-home pay?
No. A figure given as basic pay leaves out dearness allowance, house rent allowance and the other allowances paid on top of it, and it is before income tax and provident fund or NPS deductions. The CTC breakup calculator on this site works out a monthly in-hand figure from a CTC.
What is DEPR at the RBI?
The Department of Economic and Policy Research, which prepares the RBI's economic analysis and publications. The RBI recruits its officers through a separate DEPR stream of the Grade B examination.
Roles in Research & Science first, then the rest of the covered set. Listed so a comparison is one click away — no role is ranked above another, and a role appears here only when it has sourced observations of its own.