Department of Rural Studies

Brief Profile of the Department

Since independence, India has faced many problems and challenges in the process of attaining sustainable socio-economic development. It is a fact that India could tackle some of the major problems, specially of achieving self sufficiency in food production. Indian economy, as we know it today, presents a paradoxical picture of extremes. We see a rosy picture showing rapid strides in space research, nuclear technologists constituting the third largest in the world after the developed countries, augmenting agricultural and industrial production, etc. On the other extreme, there is persistent poverty, hunger, malnutrition, high rates of illiteracy, growing unemployment, etc. People living in rural areas are economically backward and are deprived of basic facilities like health, education, transportation, communication and amenities like safe drinking water, food, clothing, shelter, etc. As a result most of them are prone to poverty, illiteracy ignorance and ill health. To address the problems of rural area a professional approach is very important as against the traditional bureaucratic approach. Professionalism must become an integral part of rural development. In this direction the Tripura University launched the one year Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Development (PGDRD) in 2004, mainly to equip Rural Development Professional. Subsequently PGDRD programme has been upgraded to 2-year Master of Rural Management and Development (MRMD) programme in 2006. It is the time to make Rural Development professionals to think globally and to act locally so as to ensure their intervention relevant, appropriate, latest, just and right.

Year of Establishment:

2006

Major thrust area of research:

• Rural Livelihood
• Evaluation Research
• Community based adaptation
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Rural Demography
• Rural Water Resources Management
• Water Governance
• Common Property Resource Management

Head of the Department (In-Charge):

Dr. Jayanta Choudhury