INTRODUCTION

Department of Development Studies (DDS) was established in 1996. Since its inception DDS has been focusing on multidisciplinary research on development theories and practices. Many of the research conducted at the department have policy implications at immediate operative level as well as for long-term development strategy formulation.

Research: Our objective is to conduct research, which advances understanding of the complex economic, social and political processes of change in the poorer parts of the state and also to educate people, people’s representatives and development practitioners at grassroots to understand these processes in a multidisciplinary perspective. Thrust areas of research are – 1. Participatory development, 2.Gender issues and development, 3.Housing, drinking water and education, 4.Civil society and Panchayatraj, 5.Rural development management, 6. Agriculture and Market. Etc.,

Training: The DDS has developed a unique training module. This module differs from the conventional training modulus of both the academic and the bureaucratic varieties. Motivation and skill formation are the essential ingredients of the conventional training programs. They are necessary; but not sufficient. DDS has developed a critical social participation module with the intention of replacing the superficial and cosmetic kind of participation. Our training module aims at enabling the trainees to understand the social context in which they live and also to enable them to make use of the local resources to solve the problems. Ongoing and proposed training targets are: People’s representatives of local bodies, Development administrators at the grassroots, Development beneficiaries

 Reach: DDS has taken up the responsibility of disseminating its research output with the following two objectives: one, introducing the life of the marginalized to the larger society and two, bringing together all those who work in the field of development. All the stakeholders of development are informed and brought together with the ultimate objective of forming alternative development policies that are more in tune with the interest of the lower strata of the society. DDS uses and intends to use the following media to reach the research output to the people – bi-annual journal called Abhivridhi Adhyayana (Development Studies); Conducts regular Ph.D., programs and intends to take up short duration courses on alternative development subjects; Intends to launch a website to disseminate the research output to the larger society; Organizes development conferences – conference of all the development stakeholders.

Extension Services:With the intention of intervening directly in the area of policy making and practice of development, the members of the department are working in various committees and bodies in various capacities: 1. Members of state level expert committee formed to strengthen Panchayats, 2. Advisers to District Planning Committees, 3. Advisers to NGOs working on rural development, 4. Members of State Level Rural Development Institution SIRD, Mysore, 5. Members of State Education Department to strengthen the community participation towards quality school education.