Former RBI Governor launches PhD in DS&PP

Hyderabad: Former Reserve Bank Governor Dr C Rangarajan said that very few institutions across the globe combined domain knowledge with data-driven analytical skills. There is a need to apply updated domain knowledge in every sphere of Development Studies.

Addressing as chief guest at the inaugural launching of a PhD programme for working professionals in

Development Studies and Public Policy at the School of Social Sciences, ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education Campus recently emphasised the unique structure of this PhD programme. He mentioned that because knowledge is expanding very fast in these areas of learning and practice.

The structure of the programme has to be deliberately made challenging for the enrolled scholars. Development Studies, according to him, is multi-disciplinary in nature. It relates to other existing disciplines like Economics, Political Science and Statistics. Political Science enables one to understand how the benefits derived from the application of the Principles of Economics are distributed in society.

Dr C Rangarajan further underlined the need to relate these studies to other basic disciplines like Statistics. He said that public policy shares a very close relationship with Development Studies. Citing an example from the education sector, he explained to the audience how public policy outcomes have qualitative elements to them. He suggested that scholars need to go beyond what is taught in the classrooms as part of coursework for the programme.

He recalled his association with the late Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for his vision and courage as a practitioner of Public Policy who was well-equipped with academic proficiency.

The former chief secretary of Government of AP, Dr Sameer Sharma, attending as the guest of honour, asked the scholars to take to the programme with zest and enthusiasm for learning with an open mind.