A field experiment was conducted during  the rainy (Kharif) season in 2013 at Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Varanasi, to evaluate the various crop establishment methods and different sources of Zn on dynamics of nutrient uptake and economics of rice (Oryza sativa L.). The result of the experiment indicate that, the treatment combinations M₁Z₁ (SRI+ Zn-EDTA-12% Zn) was found to be the best with respect to yield, nutrient uptake and economics of rice. The highest grain yield (51.95 q ha^-1), straw yield (60.96 q ha^-1), N uptake in grain (46.55 kg ha^-1) and straw (26.58 kg ha^-1), P uptake in grain (13.25 kg ha^-1) and straw (9.45 kg ha^-1) and Zn uptake in grain (183.42 g ha^-1) and straw (756.62 g ha^-1) was found higher with SRI method of transplanting as compare to other methods of crop establishment but the highest K uptake in grain (13.75 kg ha^-1) and straw (91.40 kg ha^-1) was noticed with Farmer’s practice method of transplanting. In case of sub plot treatments, the highest grain yield (54.31 q ha^-1), straw yield (61.56 qha^-1), N uptake in grain (48.60 kg ha^-1) and straw (27.23 kg ha^-1), P uptake in grain (13.64 kg ha^-1) and straw (9.49 kg ha^-1), K uptake  in grain (13.71 kg ha^-1) and straw (93.21 kg ha^-1) and Zn uptake in grain (195.94 g ha^-1) and straw (828.71 g ha^-1) was examined with Zn-EDTA-(12% Zn) application @ 1.0 kg h^-1. Highest gross return (Rs. 92608.03 ha^-1), Net return (Rs. 56184.37 ha^-1) and B: C ratio (1.54) was observed with M₁Z₁ (SRI+ Zn-EDTA-12% Zn) and minimum gross return (Rs. 76516.67 ha^-1), Net return (Rs. 38362.95 ha^-1) and B:C ratio (0.92) was observed with M₃Z₀ (Farmer’s practice method with control). The performance of Zn sources was Zn-EDTA > ZnSO₄.7H₂O > ZnSO₄.H₂O.