Ashoka University

Young Scholars Programme: Economics, Finance & Markets Advanced

 

Mastering the Complex Interplay of Finance, Policy, and Global Markets

Step into an intensive 10-day journey with YSP Economics, Finance & Markets Advanced (EFM Advanced) – a certified summer residential programme for high school students entering grades 9–12, combining YSP EFM Essentials (Week 1) with a second week of advanced EFM learning.

Designed for ambitious learners ready to go beyond the fundamentals, YSP EFM Advanced shows how economic frameworks come alive in the real world. Led by world-class faculty and practitioners such as Prof. Bhaskar Dutta, Prof. Srijita Ghosh, Prof. Anshumaan Tuteja, Prof. Parush Arora, Prof. Piyali Banerjee, Prof. Mihir Bhattacharya, and Mr. Varun Khandelwal, students explore monetary policy and inflation, cognitive economics, corporate finance, the stock market, and digital finance, while building skills in quantitative reasoning, data analysis, econometrics, and financial modeling. 

 

What You Will Explore

Details of Week 1 (EFM Essentials), which builds the foundation for this programme, are available on the YSP EFM Essentials Programme page.

Advanced applications and questions you may explore in Week 2 include:

• How firms make strategic financial decisions, and how the Indian stock market looks to businesses and investors.
• How policymakers balance inflation against growth, and what inflation does to everyday wallets.
• How online platforms set prices, and the economics behind platform business models and surveillance capitalism.
• How emotions and cognitive biases shape consumer choices and investor actions.
• Explore the field of Econometrics, using data to tell correlation from causation, forecast trends, and evaluate policies.
• AI and the future of work, digital payments like UPI, the economics of war and crude oil, and the math behind elections.

 

Experiential Learning: Global Finance in Action 

Over 10 days, students move from foundational ideas to advanced applications, engaging with the pressing challenges and emerging questions shaping today’s global economics and finance landscape.

Week 1: EFM Essentials
Build a strong foundation in economics, finance, and markets.

Week 2: EFM Advanced
Dive into advanced topics, and look forward to two exciting immersive formats coming in 2027: Crisis Room and a Mock Stock contest.

A Two-Part Journey.

At YSP EFM Advanced, learning extends far beyond lectures. The programme immerses students in high-intensity, hands-on experiences designed to translate advanced economic and financial concepts into real-world decision-making skills. Students may tackle real-world dilemmas, from platform economics and cricket franchise valuation to conflict, energy markets, and the ethics of data-driven business and fintech. These cases sharpen critical thinking, strategic foresight, and ethical reasoning. Through this approach, participants build not just technical mastery but also the judgment, adaptability, and leadership to thrive in global finance, policy, and strategy.

 

Hands-on Workshops & Immersive Simulations

In Week 1, workshops will introduce students to real-world datasets, economic indicators, and financial models, enabling them to assess risk, construct portfolios, and evaluate policy decisions. In Week 2, students will apply these concepts through immersive, hands-on simulations that bring economic and financial decision-making to life. In 2027, we are excited to introduce two flagship formats: 

• Crisis Room: A two-day simulation in which students step into the roles of decision-makers during a historical economic or financial crisis. Working with historical information and evolving scenarios, they develop strategies to prevent the crisis, evaluate the consequences of their decisions, and devise measures to address its aftermath and restore economic stability. 
• Mock Stock Contest: A two-day stock market simulation in which students trade stocks, manage investment portfolios, and compete against one another in a dynamic, market-driven environment. Students apply their understanding of financial markets, analyse stock movements, and make investment decisions while balancing risk and returns. The experience offers a practical introduction to trading strategies, portfolio management, and the factors that influence market behaviour. 

 

Career Pathways

Studying economics and finance today opens doors far beyond traditional banking roles. YSP EFM Advanced prepares students with the foundations, skills, and interdisciplinary mindset needed to navigate these dynamic futures.

• Accounting, Finance and Trading, from investment banking and corporate finance to asset management, venture capital and private equity.
• Business strategy, Consulting and Entrepreneurship, from management consulting and strategy analysis to startup founding and business development.
• Government, Policy and Trade, from economic advisory to public finance and trade analysis, shaping taxation, spending and trade policy for fair and sustainable societies.
• Technology, Data and emerging fields, from fintech development and data science to AI/ML analysis, blockchain strategy and algorithmic trading.
• Research, Academia and Global institutions, from university research and teaching to policy work with international organisations tackling global challenges.

By participating in YSP EFM Advanced, students gain valuable exposure to these pathways, empowering them to make informed choices as they step into higher education and beyond.

 

 

Applications for Ashoka Young Scholars Programme (YSP) – Campus 2027 will open on December 1, 2026.

Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming cycle, follow us on social media and check our website for announcements.

Connect with us: LinkedIn | Instagram

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge:

• Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of foundational liberal arts disciplines, including literature, history, science, economics, and philosophy and develop an understanding of the principles of governance and economics, such as fiscal policies, market dynamics, and the role of political institutions.
• Students will develop an understanding of how interdisciplinary thinking across liberal arts, economics, and governance can address complex real-world challenges, particularly in policy-making and governance.
• Students will explore the foundations of critical inquiry, learning to ask meaningful and probing questions that drive both academic growth and policy decisions.
• Ethical decision-making will be a key focus, as students gain insights into the sociopolitical factors driving societal changes, such as social equity and justice, and understand the responsibilities involved in making decisions that affect communities globally.

Skills:

• Students will enhance their ability to critically analyze texts, ideas, economic theories, and government policies from multiple perspectives, developing the skills needed for in-depth evaluation of governance and economic policies and understanding their societal implications.
• They will improve their written and verbal communication skills, learning to clearly and persuasively express complex ideas in academic discussions, policy proposals, and ensuring informed decision-making.
• Through hands-on projects and simulations, students will acquire the ability to draft, analyze, and critique policies, learning the multifaceted considerations involved in effective policy-making and governance.
• Students will engage in interdisciplinary problem-solving, applying knowledge from liberal arts, economics, and governance to tackle real-world challenges, while developing leadership and collaboration skills by working in teams and delegating responsibilities effectively.
• Data analysis skills will be developed as students learn to interpret and apply statistical information to address economic and social issues, using real-world case studies to inform their problem-solving approach.

Attitude:

• Students will cultivate intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness, fostering a love for learning that spans across disciplines and an appreciation for diverse perspectives and ideas.
• Through group discussions and collaborative projects, students will develop strong collaborative skills, learning to work with diverse viewpoints to design impactful solutions to pressing challenges in policy-making environments.
• They will adopt an ethical mindset, understanding the social and moral responsibilities in governance and policy-making, and will approach these challenges with integrity and fairness.
• Students will develop an open-minded approach toward global governance challenges, as they recognize the importance of incorporating diverse perspectives to formulate policies that promote social equity and justice.

Applications:

• Students will apply interdisciplinary knowledge from liberal arts, economics, and governance to address real-world issues, understanding how different fields contribute to solving societal, environmental, and economic challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, and climate change.
• Students will apply communication and presentation skills by delivering policy proposals or public presentations, effectively conveying their ideas to academic audiences, stakeholders, or governance bodies.
• By applying the knowledge and skills gained, students will better understand their academic interests and potential career paths in governance, economics, and related fields, enabling them to make informed decisions about their educational and professional futures.

Sample Schedule

Delve into what makes the world around us as you explore the building blocks of the life you inhabit. In the YSP EFM Advanced students will explore the vast expanse of economics, from microeconomic principles like Supply and Demand, to macroeconomic concepts such as Inflation, Fiscal Policy, and Global Trade. Sample topics include The Role of Government in Economic Development, where students will examine how fiscal and monetary policies influence national growth; Public Policy and Social Equity, exploring how policies can address inequalities in education, health, and income distribution; Global Governance and Climate Change, analyzing international collaborations on environmental challenges; and Data-Driven Policy-Making, where students will learn how to use data analysis to inform policy decisions. They will also delve into Behavioral Economics, examining the psychological factors that influence economic decision-making.

By understanding the multifaceted nature of economics and its interplay with sociology, data analysis, environmental studies, and international relations, students will gain a richer perspective on the complexities of policy-making. Topics such as Sustainability and Economic Growth, Public Policy for Social Equity, and International Relations and Global Governance will ensure that scholars appreciate the interconnectedness of disciplines, fostering critical thinking and innovative approaches to solving societal challenges.

The ten-day residential YSP EPG Advanced immerses students in interdisciplinary faculty sessions that delve into the complexities of economics, policy-making, governance, and their relationships with social, cultural, and global issues.
A typical day starts off with faculty-led sessions after which students then find themselves in our workshops which are designed to function as an exciting and interactive space for students to become products of their learnings.

This experience is enhanced with our guest speakers who share insights from industry practice, equipping students with real-world as well as academic knowledge.

The day winds down with fun & recreational activities including sports and the performing arts.

A sample schedule for the YSP EFM Advanced is given below. (tentative schedule, subject to change)

YSP EFM Advanced Programme Schedule

Sample Faculty

Alexander Phillips

Assistant Professor of English,
Director of the MA programme, Ashoka University

Ph.D. Cornell University

Dipankar Bhattacharya

Head of the Department, Physics,
Sunanda and Santimay Basu Professor of Astrophysics, Ashoka University

PhD Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru

Rudrangshu Mukherjee

Chancellor
Professor of History, Ashoka University

D.Phil. Oxford University

Ananya Sharma

Assistant Professor of International Relations, Ashoka University

Ph.D. Jawaharlal Nehru University

Anuradha Saha

Assistant Dean, Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of Economics, Ashoka University

Ph.D. Indian Statistical Institute

Simantini Ghosh

Assistant Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Ashoka University

Ph.D. University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Sample Inspiring Speakers

Jack Szostak

Nobel Laureate

Pramath Raj Sinha

Founder & Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Ashoka University

Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania

Deep Kalra

Founder, MakeMyTrip

BA Economics, St. Stephen’s College
MBA, IIM Ahmedabad

Sanjeev Bikhchandani

Founder and Vice-Chairman, Info Edge (Naukri.com)
Visiting Faculty, Young India Fellowship

BA, St. Stephen’s College
MBA, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

Ashish Dhawan

Founding Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Ashoka University
Advisory Council, The Isaac Centre for Public Policy and Good Governance, Ashoka University
Founder and Chairman, Central Square Foundation

BS, Yale University
MBA, Harvard University

K. VijayRaghavan

Chair, Science Advisory Council, Ashoka University

Former Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India

Co-Chair, Advisory Council – Iron Pillar Initiative in Global Learning

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