Contributor : Profile
Gurbachan Singh is an independent economist. He was visiting professor at Ashoka University. For many years, he taught at Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Delhi Centre, and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). His research is at the interface between finance and macroeconomics. His work is on theory to explain the real world and on policy. He is a keen teacher; his main teaching is on ‘Finance and Volatility’. He is a guest faculty at Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurugram. He received his Ph.D. from ISI Delhi Centre, M.A. from Delhi School of Economics (DSE), and B.A.(Hons.) from Hindu College, University of Delhi. He writes a regular ‘column’ for Business Standard. His other interests include good cinema.
Posts by Gurbachan Singh
Covid-19: Does the Government of India really have little fiscal space?
Several commentators have argued that the Government of India has very limited fiscal space to provide fiscal stimulus to jumpstart the economy, and spend on the poor and on medical care post Covid-19...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 29 May, 2020
- Perspectives
Covid-19: Getting fiscal policy right
The textbook answer to financing of additional government expenditure in a recession is that the government should borrow the funds rather than impose a tax. Gurbachan Singh argues that the convention...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 07 May, 2020
- Perspectives
Covid-19: Reserves to the rescue
On 27 March 2020, the Government of India announced a relief package of Rs. 1.7 trillion to deal with the Covid-19 crisis and its possible adverse effects on the economy. A view put forth by critics i...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 11 April, 2020
- Perspectives
Raising coverage under deposit insurance: A soft option
Indian Parliament is expected to legislate on a rise in the amount of insurance for bank deposits from Rs. 100,000 to possibly Rs. 500,000 in its ongoing winter session. In this post, Gurbachan Singh ...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 02 December, 2019
- Perspectives
Does the current economic slowdown warrant a fiscal boost?
The Indian economy is going through an economic slowdown. Several economists have made a case for an expansionary fiscal policy to deal with the slowdown. In this post, Gurbachan Singh argues that it ...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 04 November, 2019
- Perspectives
Would RBI fund transfer weaken government's financial position?
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently decided to transfer Rs. 1.76 trillion to the Government of India (GOI). If the RBI has inadequate capital, then it should not transfer funds to the GOI. But ev...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 02 September, 2019
- Perspectives
Huge bank losses, frauds, and economic risks
Banks have incurred humongous losses in India. The public authorities have taken corrective measures primarily in the form of strengthening laws, audits, and the enforcement processes. In this articl...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 09 March, 2018
- Perspectives
Self-employment: Elephant in the room
While nearly half of the labour force in India is self-employed, persistent low standards of living on a large scale imply that not many of these are ‘entrepreneurs’. Much of the self-employment ...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 22 January, 2018
- Perspectives
Bubble in bitcoin or elsewhere?
The price of Bitcoin has skyrocketed. Gurbachan Singh contends that there may or may not be a bubble in cryptocurrencies. If there is a bubble, then the prices will fall eventually, and the story will...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 11 December, 2017
- Perspectives
Recapitalisation of public sector banks, and financial repression
Government of India recently announced its decision to infuse Rs. 2.11 trillion of fresh capital into public sector banks, financed partly through recapitalisation bonds. In this article, Dr Gurbachan...
- Gurbachan Singh
- 06 November, 2017
- Perspectives
Purchasing power parity: Some concerns
In this article, Dr Gurbachan Singh discusses how it may be problematic to make international comparisons using PPP that is based on observed prices, and why effective prices should be used instead.
- Gurbachan Singh
- 04 October, 2017
- Articles
Should India hold US$400 billion of foreign exchange reserves?
RBI’s foreign exchange reserves have now crossed the US$400 billion mark. In this article, Dr Gurbachan Singh discusses why India’s Central Bank should not hold such large reserves.
- Gurbachan Singh
- 03 October, 2017
- Perspectives