Welcome to Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur

The Institute of Development Studies Jaipur was established in 1981 on the initiative of a group of academicians, scholars, and administrators from Rajasthan. The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and the Government of Rajasthan are supporting the Institute. It is an autonomous organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1958. The main objectives of the Institute include: (a) contributing to the understanding of the development processes and problems; (b) conducting studies on problems of the marginalized sections and the hinterland; (c) adopting a multi-disciplinary approach in its research activities; and (d) providing a forum for different stakeholders to discuss various developmental issues. The Institute encourages pursuing multidisciplinary research agendas. It takes cognizance of the macro environment, planning processes and strategies including their socio-economic dimensions, and attempts to make interventions through researches and dialogues. Special emphasis is provided to study the processes of change, the impact of trickle down effects of growth, direct public interventions such as poverty reduction and employment generation programmes, and the participatory efforts of voluntary organisations with respect to the marginalized sections of the society. The Institute is specifically concerned with regional issues relating to Rajasthan and Western India. Being an ICSSR-State Government supported organisation, it aims to promote research, training, consultation, and change of scholarship and information dissemination in the state and beyond.

Since its establishment, the Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur (IDS) has adopted a multidisciplinary and dynamic approach to research on topics related to development. The Institute has established partnerships with the state and central governments, other parastatal organisations, the private sector, and a wide range of non-governmental organisations and members of the civil society for furthering its objectives. It has also created a forum for voicing concerns related to public policy on socio-economic issues in the state of Rajasthan and beyond. Additionally, it conducted training programmes for capacity building among several stakeholders in the development sphere.

The Approach

The approach of the Institute is to generate knowledge on development processes through research studies and make timely interventions through dissemination of knowledge so generated. The studies cover macro initiatives and policy environment, development strategies, planning processes, their trickle down effects, direct government intervention and efforts of voluntary non-governmental organizations. The Institute’s research efforts include theoretical analysis (in-built as well as explicit), applied studies (the outputs of which are used as inputs for formulation of policies, programmes, and trainings) and adaptive studies (operational researches, trainings, and sensitization programmes). The dissemination of the research outputs takes place through a combination of following modes:

▪ Presentation of research findings in result-dissemination workshops or seminars at the Instituteas well as elsewhere. Formal or required presentations before Government of India, State Government or sponsoring organizations.
▪ Use of research results in trainings in the Institute as well as elsewhere.
▪ In-built dissemination of results in operational research projects.
▪ Institute’s publications in the form of books, research reports, monographs, working papers, and training / workshops reports.
▪ Publications of the faculty in outside Journals.
▪ Dissemination of knowledge by the faculty through chairmanship/membership of Commissions, Missions or Committees, and dissemination through media in the form of press releases, interviews, telecasts and broadcasts.

The following reveal the impact and relevance of the Institute’s activities:

Output of the Institute has formed a basis of several government decisions.

▪ Output of the Institute has become a part of several development projects or design of interventions.
▪ Output of the Institute has become material for trainings at different levels.
▪ Policy-makers, planners, international development agencies, civil society organizations, in public interest litigations and other researchers quote results of Institute’s studies extensively.
▪ The researchers of the Institute are taken as Chairmen / members / resource persons in missions, committees, task forces and expert groups at state, national and international levels.
▪ Repeated demand of Institute’s faculty and researchers as leader / collaborator in new studies, as resource persons, as trainers and as members / chairs in policy-making bodies.
▪ Researchers in operational studies work as active partners in development interventions.
▪ Demand for our published reports / papers by policy-makers, development thinkers and researchers.
▪ Persistent demand from media for our research results, interviews, and panel discussions.
▪ Persistent demand from NGOs and voluntary organizations for our research results, collaboration in development initiatives and several forms of information.

Looking Ahead

Since 1981, the Institute has long grown significantly, having expanded its campus with ‘tech-friendly’ infrastructure, and diversified its activities and faculty. The Institute continues with its endeavor to reaching out further.
The Institute faces new challenges in the coming years and efforts are afoot to induct new faculty to bring in fresh ideas and strengthen its goals.
Known to be a multi-disciplinary research organisation, the Institute is currently working towards broadening its arenas of work beyond conventional research. It aims to indulge extensively in development issues (rural and urban), create a wider forum for diverse stakeholders (government- NGO-private-civil society), raise attention towards weaker, under-served and marginalised sections, and strengthen existing partnerships, through trainings and extension programmes.
The Institute is in the process of launching studies on Water Resources, Climate Change, Discrimination and Inclusion, Urbanization, and Public Finance, among other areas. The present effort is to strengthen existing researches that go beyond Rajasthan and trace similar grounds in other parts of the country.