OKD INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

The Institute has launched its PhD programme in pursuance of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Academic Collaboration with Dibrugarh University. It has been launched from the year, 2017. As per the MoU, Dibrugarh University recognized OKDISCD as a Research Institute affiliated to it and extended full recognition for conducting the PhD programme. The Institute is conducting the pre-registration course-work in coordination with the University. In the first year, candidates who have qualified Dibrugarh Univesity Research Admission Test (DURAT) or JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) or having M.Phil in Political Science and Economics have been called for an interview for the enrolment in Ph.D in the Institute. After rigorous interview, total 9 candidates got selected for the PhD programme.

The Institute has launched a Post Graduate Certificate Course on North East India Studies in August 2016. The six month full time academic course aims at introducing the young scholars interested in working on the region to the complex diversities of the region and also to provide them with required understanding for carrying out research on pertinent socio-political, economic, developmental, historical, cultural, environmental and gender questions. The course also aims at equipping the young scholars to understand the region in the overall global and national context and providing them with the theoretical knowledge required for setting their research agenda. The course has been duly approved by Dibrugarh University. The effort has been considered as a much needed academic intervention in the region and is expected to encourage a new spate of scientific research required for addressing myriad themes and questions pertinent to North East India.

The Institute started its Research Methodology Course way back in 1998. It is one of the first courses of this kind in the entire region. The basic idea of the course is to make young scholars from the region familiar with the tools and techniques of research, besides acquainting them with the latest trends and thoughts in development studies. Apart from formal lectures, the course includes first-hand field training in survey and participatory research methods.Besides, this course at the Institute, the Institute also conducts number of Capacity Development programmes across different states of North East India usually catering to the needs of marginalized and under-privileged sections of the society. In addition to this, short-term capsule courses are also conducted by the Institute on themes like “how to write research proposals” and “how to write research reports” etc.

The Institute has been conducting a computer application course for some years now. The course is specially designed for research scholars pursuing their doctoral works in social sciences. It is one of the most popular courses of the Institute. The course deals with specialised data processing and analysis of data using softwares like SPSS. It adopts a pragmatic approach where topics starting from questionnaire coding to tabulation are dealt with at length.

The ICSSR has placed three PhD fellowships at the Institute. The fellowship can be availed by a research scholar holding a post graduate degree with UGC norms and having qualified UGC NET. The scholar must be registered in the PhD programme of a university and a faculty member of the Institute must be a supervisor or co-supervisor of his/her PhD. One of the three fellowships is meant for an in-service teacher with pay protection facility. The fellowship amount is at par with ICSSR PhD fellowship. The period of the fellowship is two years which can be extended up to one more year.

The Institute also invites eminent scholars in Social Science as Visiting Fellows to engage in research programme and various studies of the Institute. This has contributed towards building a network of scholars from different Institutes, Universities both from within the region and also other parts of the India and abroad. Presently, Prof. Sanjib Baruah is the Honorary Visiting Professor of the Institute.

One of the objectives of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), ‘is to provide technical assistance for the formulation of social science research proposals and designing research projects by individuals or institutions and organize and support institutional arrangements for training in research methodology.’ The OKDISCD has been playing a lead role by organizing various training courses on research capacity development programmes. Training programmes of varied nature, depending upon the requirements of the cliental groups are also conducted regularly. The Institute has been regularly conducting this programme across all the States of the north-eastern region.

The ICSSR has recognized the institute as one of the data consultancy centres for young research scholars. Under the ICSSR Financial Assistance Scheme, scholars can avail this consultancy service for which they are to apply directly to the ICSSR. Individual scholars, however, come on their own for availing this service.

The Institute acts as a hub of ideas and information in the region. It has been actively engaged in dissemination of knowledge and ideas among the scholars from and outside the region. Lectures, seminars and conferences and workshops on various contemporary social issues are organized by the Institute for generating wider debates and discussions among academia, policy experts and various corporate and business entities.

Lectures are organized by the Institute with a view to disseminate ideas and also generate debates and discussions on various social concerns. Eminent scholars are invited by the Institute to deliver lectures on key social concerns. It provides an opportunity for the Faculty of the Institute and scholars from the region to engage in discussions and generate new ideas of research for the scholars from the region. The Institute organises an annual lecture programme every year in the month of March to celebrate the Foundation Day of the Institute. The other lecture programmes include the Professor Atul Goswami Memorial Lecture which is held in the month of June in remembrance of Professor Atul Goswami, former Director of the Institute. These lectures are published annually. Apart from the regular lectures, special lectures are held on issues of historical and social importance.

Seminars and workshops on myriad issues are organized regularly by the Institute with an aim to provide an edifying platform for brainstorming over contemporary social issues and concerns. These are organised in collaboration with various agencies including Research Institutes, Government Ministries, universities and colleges from the region and other International agencies. Some of the seminar proceedings have been published as edited volumes.