Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)’s Post

I'm sharing my research paper, which I wrote as part of my IGCSE Global Perspective curriculum in tenth grade. This paper emphasizes the dual perspective: while positive discrimination has uplifted many individuals and contributed to societal transformation, it also faces criticisms, including allegations of reverse discrimination and concerns about perpetuating caste identities. This work contributes to the ongoing discourse by analyzing the policy's outcomes, evolution, and potential reforms to ensure equity and inclusivity in a rapidly changing India. #economics #policymaking #discrimination #positivediscrimination #equity #reservations #globalperspectives #economicdevelopment #equitablesociety #politics #india #government #AffirmativeAction #PositiveDiscrimination #SocialInclusion #EqualityMatters #DiversityAndInclusion #SocialJustice #PolicyResearch #EmpoweringCommunities #CasteEquality #InclusiveGrowth #IndianConstitution #EducationForAll #EquityInAction #TransformingSociety #ResearchMatters

Grateful to VIT-AP University for sharing this insightful post featuring my thoughts on the role of population in the Indian economy. Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/gSdkywii. #WorldPopulationDay #Economics #Sustainability #VITAPUniversity #Thoughts #Population #India

#developmentstudies #DSA2024 #decolonisation #meritocracy #humancapital #socialmobility #higheracademia #tampereuniversity #jnu Not quite a professional update, rather an informed choice to 'update the process of professionalisation'. For my colleagues in Europe (and the USA), one takes interest in the dynamics of higher academia in the global South. They rightly point out that people trained (up until PhD) in the global South and the people from the global South trained (up until PhD) in the global North pose different knowledge lenses, and that define the common skill sets to be used differently. This is a new learning for me, as I was not completely aware of this factful distinction until I relocated to Europe from India post my PhD. The knowledge acquiring process in regions like South Asia is deeply influenced by colonialism and thus decolonialism too. Similarly, the knowledge formation in the European context is historically shaped by industrialisation and post-industrialisation thinking. So to my understanding, these two knowledge perspectives are not contradictory rather complementary to diversify the knowledge development (and mapping) exercises. I scale to represent this torrent of knowledge diversification action. In my role as teacher, researcher, disseminator and practitioner in the field of global public health, I often encounter the issue of human capital investment in academia, and its meaningful outcomes. While the academia in both the global South and North are overwhelmed with the objectives of 'right means' to invest in human capital, I choose to reflect on the mechanisms that define 'Merit, Meritocracy and Human Capital Development' in contemporary times. This will be my presentation title for the Development Studies Association 2024 Conference (https://lnkd.in/gKfhiXXx) on the 26 June (Wednesday) under the stream of 'Decolonisation and Development'. Programme information: 16:30 - 18:00 (London Time) Room: G51a SOAS University of London Online access may not be limited to the registered conference participants only, as it is just panel-specific discussion. Friends and colleagues in London interested in this topic may reach me out. I will try to facilitate in-person access for the session. The Panel will host other interesting papers also on similar topics. Thanks to Annalena Oppel for hosting such an interesting panel. Full information is available on https://lnkd.in/ghsH-AAs

Episode 323 (March 29, 2024) has the objective of presenting a few empirically-verifiable facts pertinent to income equality in Bharat and trashing the disinformation published by four authors that are associated with the World Inequality Lab. India's Gini coefficient - the most accepted measure of income equality - is vastly superior to the Gini coefficients of Russia, China, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey and, hold your breath, the United States of America. Confederation of Indian Industry Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta NCAER Narendra Modi

📢 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗴𝗹𝘂, 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀! Their pioneering research sheds light on why some countries prosper while others remain poor by focusing on how institutions play a critical role in shaping long-term economic success. 🌍🏆 Their work demonstrates that 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀—which provide opportunities for all and protect property rights—drive prosperity. On the other hand, 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀—which concentrate power and wealth in the hands of a few—often lead to poverty and inequality. 𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲: Let’s think of two towns. In one, everyone gets a chance to work hard and benefit from their efforts, just like a fair game where all players follow the rules. Over time, this town grows richer as everyone contributes to making it better. In the other town, only a few people get the best opportunities, and most are left out. This town struggles because its people aren’t given the chance to succeed. The lesson? The fairer the system, the stronger the economy. This research reminds us that inclusive growth is essential for every nation striving for long-term prosperity. 🔑 #NobelPrize #Economics #InstitutionsMatter #InclusiveGrowth #EconomicDevelopment #SustainableGrowth #Prosperity #Leadership #India #GlobalEconomy #FairnessMatters #InclusiveInstitutions

A specialized research program on systemic caste-based inequalities in organizations and societies comprising of an international team of scholars that includes IIMB Strategy area faculty Prof. Prateek Raj, just won the 2024 ABDC Network Award for Established, Scholarly Research. The research program, comprising 20+ scholars across Australia, the UK, and India, has set a benchmark by integrating ethical considerations of caste into management discourse. Having influenced both scholarship and policy, the findings have led to policy adoption by the Melbourne City Council and the Australian Human Rights Commission. Outcomes also include 16 articles published in top-tier journals, media pieces, and presentations to community stakeholders. Among these papers is a PLOS One paper, co-authored by Prof. Prateek Raj, Prof. Hari Bapuji, University of Melbourne, and Prof. Thomas Roulet, University of Cambridge, which examines the income gap faced by Dalit business owners. The paper was hailed as a “significant contribution to the discourse on economic inequality” this year by The Hindu. Prof. Raj, who founded the Inclusive Markets Lab at IIMB, is also the Co-founder of ‘Action to Improve Representation’, an initiative that aims to improve representation and open doors for underrepresented South Asian scholars in management academia. #IIMB #FacultyResearch #ResearchAchievement #ManagementResearch #PolicyImpact #HumanCapital

https://lnkd.in/gEEaGCva Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's intellectual prowess extended far beyond the realm of law and social reform. As a brilliant economist, he dedicated his efforts to addressing the economic inequalities faced by marginalized communities in India. Ambedkar's ideas on the gold standard, industrialization, land reform, and the intersection of caste and economy continue to resonate today, urging us to take action in our pursuit of a just and equitable society. By delving into his economic insights, we honor Ambedkar's legacy and actively contribute to shaping a better future for all. #Ambedkar #economist #Dalit #social reformer #caste system #untouchability #reservation #poverty #inequality #economic development #Land Reform #education #economic democracy #Buddhism #social justice #Constitution of India #empowerment #socio-economic transformation #permanently marginalized communities #human rights #equality #inclusive growth #empowerment #social empowerment #economic policies #agrarian reforms #industrialization

Is Reservation Truly Unjust, or Is It the Key to a More Equitable Society? The debate over caste-based reservation in India continues to gain momentum, with political parties often resorting to vote bank politics. While we might unanimously agree that caste-based reservation can be problematic, we need to ask ourselves a more fundamental question: Is any form of reservation inherently bad? Michael Sandel, in his thought-provoking book The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?, challenges the notion of a perfect meritocracy. He raises an important question: Would a perfect meritocracy be just? Interestingly, Sandel argues that it would not be. Why? Because the meritocratic ideal, instead of addressing inequality, actually justifies it. Even if we reward people based purely on merit, we ignore the moral arbitrariness of talent and overinflate the moral significance of effort. Not everyone starts from the same point in life—our abilities and opportunities are largely shaped by factors beyond our control, such as the environment we are born into, the quality of education we receive, and even our innate talents. Take, for instance, two students: one from a privileged urban background with access to the best schools, tutors, and extracurricular activities, and another from a rural area with limited educational resources. If both students take the same competitive exam, the urban student will likely perform better—not necessarily because of greater effort, but because of the greater opportunities afforded to them. Is it fair, then, to ignore these disparities in our pursuit of a so-called "meritocratic" society?

Economic development is primarily a generative activity whose goal is to expand the economic "pie." However, some people and communities benefit much more than others and some people's slices may even become smaller as the pie expands. Equity-oriented policies, on the other hand, are primarily distributive. They are designed to ensure that people with the smallest slices of the pie receive bigger slices, regardless of what happens to the size of the entire pie. Regional Economic Connectivity: A Strategy to Build Opportunity in Distressed Communities explores another option—regional economic connectivity strategies that ensure distressed communities benefit from the expansion of the regional economic pie. Regional economic connectivity is an emerging strategy for place-based economic development in under-resourced communities (URCs)—highly populated areas of concentrated poverty and low income located in central cities and suburbs within metropolitan areas. Regional economic connectivity occurs when an industry cluster driving growth and competitiveness in a broader metropolitan region also has a strong presence in URCs. Regional economic connectivity indicates that cluster benefits and opportunities are not isolated within the region but bring jobs to distressed communities. Economic developers and their partners can promote regional economic connectivity by identifying cluster opportunities for URCs and targeting asset development and other strategic investments that support the Check out this new report from ICIC and SRI: Regional Economic Connectivity: A Strategy to Build Opportunity in Distressed Communities - and let us know what you think! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e3W6w_tt. . . . #ICICOrg #ICIC #ICICResearch #EconomicDevelopment #EDC #RegionalEconomicConnectivity #Economics #Equality #UnderResourcedCommunities #EconomicDevelopers