Ideas That Shape a Nation: How Ashoka’s Research Centres Influence Policy and Public Life

Ashoka is, at its core, a research University, with faculty simultaneously engaged in both teaching and research, each informing one another. Students are also encouraged to dive into research projects, assist faculty members with their research, and solidify their academic interests in the process. Ashoka, therefore, has instituted research centres to ensure that promising research is accorded all possible resources and facilities. The Centre for Economic Data and Analysis (CEDA), the Trivedi Centre for Political Data (TCPD) and the Centre For The Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) are only a few examples of Ashoka’s commitment to supporting world-class research.

On CEDA:

CEDA was instituted by the Department of Economics at Ashoka University, primarily aiming at facilitating informed debate about economic and social developments in India. Women and Work, one of their flagship initiatives, investigates women’s low participation rates in the workforce despite economic growth and increased female employment.

On TCPD:

TCPD, since its inception in 2016, strives to make India’s political data accessible to citizens through rigorous research, analysis and data infrastructure. They are committed towards democratising data. In 2023, the Centre for Data Science and Analytics took over the functioning of the TPCD and has served as a resource repository to support data-driven initiatives across academic departments and centres, namely the Departments of Economics and Political Science, the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability, the Trivedi School of Biosciences, the Koita Centre for Digital Health, among others.

On CSIP and its Allied Initiative, Anitya:

The Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy (CSIP) was inaugurated to work towards advancing strategic and robust philanthropy to maximise social impact in India. In order to integrate student participation in real-time projects, the CSIP offers summer internships, connecting students with organisations for 8-12 week stints in social impact, policy and leadership. These also hold practical value in offering potential PPOs (Pre-Placement Offers). Their Guided Summer Internship Programme features panels with field experts, working with esteemed social impact organisations like the Piramal Foundation, the Samhita Social Venture, We, The People, and so on.

Anitya, The Social Impact Club, founded by students with the support of CSIP, is committed to catalysing positive change by bridging the gap between the student body and the social sector. Through a diverse range of events and activities, they have focused on impactful initiatives, skill-building, and fostering a culture of social responsibility. Their flagship Social Sector Bootcamp, organised in collaboration with the Career Development Office (CDO), interactions with and field visits to NGOs like Goonj and targeted discussions or Baithaks with industry experts, have helped nurture a culture of social consciousness on campus.

Life in the Social Sector After Ashoka:

After graduating, a significant number of Ashokans seek employment in the social sector, working on real-time projects like policy analysis and review for urban systems, designing mixed-method research studies for government projects like the UP Aspirational Cities Program, product design and knowledge management for Community Health Entrepreneurship Programs like Sadhika.

Shakya Khatri, an undergraduate currently working with the Ashoka Centre for China Studies (ACCS) said, “Working at ACCS is a very engaging experience, as I get to interact with a very diverse range of faculty, who are all very welcoming. I’ve also been able to take part in a range of cultural events and festivals that helped deepen my understanding of Chinese culture.”

Faculty in Research:

Our faculty members are continually involved in projects concerning media and policy. Maya Mirchandani, Associate Professor of Practice and Head of the Department of Media Studies, has been engaged in research on ‘Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism’ with a Delhi-based think tank, Observer Research Foundation. Her research is interested in deducing ways to build counter-narratives to prevent radicalisation and extremist violence through dialogue and community intervention. Her research is heavily anchored by the analysis of hate speech and the impact of counter speech messaging on social media.

Ashoka believes in education through interaction and engagement beyond classrooms. We believe that true learning begins when we try to internalise academics in conversation with the world outside. To that end, our centres offer dedicated opportunities to enable such interactions, ensuring that students keep abreast of real-time research. Members of the faculty are ever engaged in bettering the existing state of research, and are more than happy to involve students in the process.

Written by – Srishti Choudhury, English Major