The Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) has served as a research institute in social sciences for more than four decades now. Numerous historians, academics and decorated scholars have taught and have been students themselves of this institute.
Eminent social scientist MSS Pandian, Historian AR Venkatachalapathy, Economics Prof CT Kurien, Professor and economist S Janakarajan are some notable names associated with MIDS among many others.
Founded by the couple Malcolm Adiseshiah and Elizabeth Adiseshiah in 1971, shortly after the former’s retirement as Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, MIDS undertakes studies and research pertaining to development problems, with special reference to the agro-rural aspects of Tamil Nadu. Its focus also includes socially and economically backward sections of the population throughout the country.
It conducts seminars and conferences on development issues concerning Tamil Nadu and the country at large. The research concerns of the faculty are wide ranging. In a broad sense, certain important areas of research covered by MIDS include Economic Theory, Development and Planning, Centre-State Relations, Poverty, Inequality, Social Sector Development, Agrarian Issues and Institutions, Irrigation and Irrigation Institutions, Labour, Village Resurveys, Industry and Infrastructure, Demography, Migration and Urbanisation, Natural Resources and Environment, Data System, Education, Social Movements and Social Transformation, Caste, Constitution, Communalism and Electoral Politics, Social Exclusion, Ideology, Gender, and State and Social Policies.
The services of the faculty members are sought by State and Central Government departments for projects like contributing to the State Planning Commission; autonomous agencies; universities and colleges for one-off lectures or a complete course, non-government and international organisations like the World Bank, the International Labour Organization and the International Water Management Institute for consultancy services.
“I think what we do is expected of any social sciences research institute but what is unique is the multi-disciplinary nature of our research. It is one of the oldest social sciences research institutes in Tamil Nadu. The institute has done theoretical work and applied work,” says Prof Shashanka Bhide, Director, MIDS, who took charge a few months back.
History
In 1976, the Institute was reconstituted as a National Institute of Social Science Research under the joint sponsorship of the Government of India through the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and the Government of Tamil Nadu. The trustees gifted it land, buildings, library, furniture, equipment and a cash endowment. The Reserve Bank of India established a Chair in applied research in regional economics in the institute in 1985.
Programmes
MIDS has a full-time PhD programme for students as well as teaching scholars. The emphasis of the programme is on the quality of work. The students have freedom and flexibility here. The doctoral theses of the institute have won recognition for their quality, rigour, and originality. Some of them have been revised and published as books, while material from a few others has been revised and published in scholarly journals.
Three categories are available for the doctoral programme: ICSSR Doctoral Fellowships, RBI Doctoral Fellowships and The Mrs Elizabeth Adiseshiah PhD Merit Scholarship. The selection is made on the basis of qualifications, research proposals and personal interviews.
Every year, ICSSR sponsors four students to do their PhD degree in Social Sciences. Areas of research include Economics, Sociology and Political Science. The duration of the fellowships for students is three years and for teaching scholars, two years. As approved by ICSSR, for students the value of the fellowship amount for the first two years is `16,000 per month with a contingency fundof `15,000 per year. Salary protection fellowship is also given to teaching scholars for a maximum duration of two years.
Faculty
MIDS has some of the best academics serving as faculty, albeit only 15 in number. “We take only four or five PhD students every year because of the dearth of faculty. We understand that the ICSSR’s resources are stretched to reach all of its grantees but getting more faculty is necessary for expanding the capacity of the institution,” says Prof Bhide.
There are 25 PhD scholars on its rolls, he says, whose research output has not only contributed to public dialogue but also to policy making. The faculty has contributed to the State Planning Commission and is currently working with the Government for preparing the Human Development report where the Government provides data for various chapters like Education and Health among others, and the faculty members analyse it.
Ajith Menon, Associate Professor, Political Economy of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy, who has been a student of MIDS says, “The main thing we lack is access to online journals. A popular one like the Science Direct is expensive. Another thing we lack is what a lot of academic institutions give, called Seed Grants for research work, which is absent here. If you do field-based research you need money for that. But money doesn’t come directly from the institute. We have to apply for projects. These are the two major academic limitations.”
Safan Amir, who is currently pursuing research on the social history of Ossans, a group of Kerala Muslim barbers, under the guidance of Prof Venkatachalapathy, says, “MIDS is a great institution. I have no complaints. It would have been great if it had a hostel, I have to shell out a lot on accommodation.”
— suraksha@newindianexpress.com