Archives: Event

Roundtable Discussion: Translating Research on Women’s Economic Empowerment into Policy: Progress and Prospects

On 30th January 2025, the National Data Innovation Centre (NDIC) at NCAER collaborated with The Quantum Hub (TQH) to organize a roundtable discussion titled “Translating Research on Women’s Economic Empowerment into Policy: Progress and Prospects”, held at the NCAER campus in Delhi The event explored how policymaking can be driven by evidence and how research can be made relevant to policy. Over thirty intellectuals from research, academia, development, and policy sectors lent their voices to the discussion, contributing data, insights, and experiences and thus eliciting a myriad of pathways to answering a complex two-fold question. The event featured a keynote speech by Dr. Sonalde Desai, special remarks by Dr. Devaki Jain, and two moderated sessions led by Dr. Pallavi Choudhuri and Ms. Aparajita Bharti respectively.

Ms. Bharti delivered the introductory remarks highlighting the relevance, application, and impact of contemporary research on women’s economic power in India.  Dr Sonalde Desai traced the historical interactions between social science research and policy in India, urging scholars to collaborate and integrate feminist perspectives into decision-making. Dr Desai highlighted critical emerging areas, including the changing nature of work, the dynamics of platform and gig work, and evolving family structures in India.   In her special remarks, Padma Bhushan Ms. Jain highlighted the need to recognize women’s economic contributions, stressing collective efforts for meaningful change. Ms. Jain shared the journey of feminist economics research in India, drawing from her extensive experience with the Planning Commission and the South Commission.

The session on “Evolving Research Landscape on Women’s Economic Empowerment”, moderated by Dr. Choudhuri, examined the role of data in policymaking, particularly in recognizing unpaid family work and expanding definitions of labor.  The session on “Pathways to Translating Research into Action”, moderated by Ms. Bharti, explored strategies for integrating research into policy interventions. Speakers emphasized the importance of women’s education, progressive curriculum reforms, and collaboration at all levels.

The roundtable discussion provided valuable insights into the complex relationship between research and policymaking on women’s economic empowerment in India. The event underscored the need for evidence-driven policies and greater recognition of women’s economic contributions. Key discussions underscored the need for fair compensation, data-driven policy linkages, and cross-sector collaboration. The discussions emphasized that a collective, unified approach is essential for translating research into impactful policy interventions that can drive real, systemic change for women in the workforce.

NDIC Early Career Fellows (Cohort of 2023-24): Concluding Presentations

Last year NDIC initiated a non-resident early career fellows programme to help enhance the data ecosystem. These fellows received training in diverse aspects of research, including engagement with policymakers and the development of grant proposals. However, their main activity focused on research on methodological challenges using secondary data. The fellows presented their final research on September 27 in the NCAER auditorium. Details of their work is listed below:

  • Looking beyond employment-unemployment: Labour utilisation and Time related underemployment, evidence from labour market experiments in India.

Nishat Anjum, Senior Research Fellow, Jawaharlal Nehru University

  • Does Time Use Survey give a Higher Estimate of Women in Economic Activity?

Vijayamba R, Assistant Professor, National Law School of India University

  • Measuring Leisure through Time-use: Concordance of Stylized Questions and Time Diaries?

Ashwani Tripathi, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Social Sciences, FLAME University

  • Timely Truths: Quality of Age Data in Large-scale Surveys; Alternate Title: From Heaps to Insights: Aadhaar’s Role in Enhancing Age Data Quality

Subarna Banerjee, PhD Candidate, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence

  • Making sense of the slum statistics in National Sample Survey (NSS)

Dibyendu Biswas, PhD Candidate, Institute of Development Studies Kolkata (IDSK)

  • Social Desirability and Interviewer’s Bias on Response to Sensitive Questions in Large-Scale Survey: An Evidence from NFHS-5

Saurabh Singh, Research Scholar, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

  • Measuring Urbanization Using Global Human Settlement Layers and Gridded Population Data

Nawaj Sarif, PhD Candidate, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

  • The Development and Validation of the Comprehensive Measure of Academic Success (CMAS) for School Students: A Construct Validation Approach

Usama Ghayas Syed, PhD Candidate, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT K)

  • Hidden Diabetes in India

Md. Juel Rana, Assistant Professor, G. B. Pant Social Science Institute

Gender Conclave September 2024

On 25th and 26th September 2024, the National Data Innovation Centre (NDIC) at NCAER organised a Gender Conclave with its partners, the Centre for Catalyzing Change, Nous Consultants, Population Foundation of India, Sewa Bharat and The World Bank. Over seventy public intellectuals hailing from sectors transcending policy, academia and development attended the in-person event. Gender Conclave 2024 involved a myriad of conversations cutting across gender and development.

Discussions at the Conclave encompassed a keynote speech by Professor Bina Agarwal about her research on women’s land rights and its use in mobilisation for reforms to the Hindu Succession Act. Professor Agarwal also highlighted a number of innovative measures  that have facilitated women’s empowerment such as group farming. A second keynote speech by Smt. Uma Mahadevan, Additional Secretary, Panchayati Raj, Government of Karnataka drew insights from measures established to facilitate the economic upliftment of women, including  women’s access to public transportation and the transformative role of women self-help groups (SHGs).

The panel discussions closely explored some of the most pressing challenges of gender equity through collaborative conversations which drew upon evidence-based research, with discussions on changes in women’s life course and its implications for public policy.

Through the research-driven approach and rich exchange of ideas, the participants at the Gender Conclave not only highlighted the urgent need to address gender-based disparities but also laid the groundwork for future collaborations and initiatives aimed at creating a more equitable society.

DataTalk: A Conversation about Measuring Learning in India

NCAER’s National Data Innovation Center hosted the 7th edition of DataTalk. The conversation delved into the complexities of measuring children’s learning outcomes in India. With school enrollment rates having increased, the focus had shifted from merely getting children into schools to understanding what they were learning. However, this brought forth a challenging question: How do we accurately assess these learning outcomes?

The panel included experts from diverse backgrounds, including Akashi Kaul from the Central Square Foundation, Sridhar Rajgopalan, an Educational Entrepreneur, Abhijit Singh from the Stockholm School of Economics, and Wilima Wadhwa, the director of the ASER Centre. They discussed different methodologies, from school-based assessments like the National Achievement Survey to citizen-led evaluations such as the ASER Report, highlighting the importance of using data effectively to influence educational practice and policy.

During the discussion, we explored various approaches to educational assessments, the biases and challenges associated with them, and their implications for policy-making. The session aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of educational assessments in India and how they could be improved to ensure all children receive quality education.

Book Launch and Panel Discussion

NCAER’s National Data Innovation Center hosted the book release ceremony of “India’s Social and Economic Transformation in the 21st Century,” a collected volume of papers using data from the Indian Human Development Survey, edited by Pallavi Choudhuri, Sonalde Desai, and Amaresh Dubey, and published by Routledge.

The event commenced with an insightful panel discussion themed “Data for Development: Assessing Human Development in a Rapidly Changing Society,” where the editors and distinguished speakers embarked on a deep exploration of the challenges and opportunities stemming from India’s rapid transformations.

The 21st century has witnessed remarkable global advancements in educational expansion and economic growth. However, persistent social inequalities, that weigh down some of these achievements, require urgent attention. Furthermore, external factors such as the pandemic, global financial issues, and climate change emphasize the necessity to reevaluate social safety nets to ensure resilience in the face of unforeseen challenges.

Chaired by Sonalde Desai of NCAER, the panel comprised esteemed speakers:

– Dean Joliffe, Lead Economist, DECDG, World Bank

– Pronab Sen, India’s First Chief Statistician

– Rukmini Banerji, Chief Executive Officer, Pratham

– Ashwini Deshpande, Professor of Economics, Ashoka University

– A. K. Shiva Kumar, Development Economist

The panel deliberated on identifying priority areas and formulating effective data collection strategies to drive an evidence-driven approach to policymaking. Their discourse provided actionable strategies to navigate the complexities of our evolving society, emphasizing the imperative for evidence-driven policymaking to address persistent social inequalities.

The ceremony culminated with the release of the book by our esteemed Guest of Honour, Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, alongside the panelists and the authors.