CDS to start PG courses awarded by JNU

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Centre for Development Studies (CDS), the autonomous research institute is on a mission to start academic courses in Post Graduation which will be awarded by Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, a first of its kind in Kerala.  The course will start from the next academic year onwards. This is for the first time that CDS is starting a master programme which already has a two-year MPhil programme in Applied Economics and a four-year PhD programme in Economics.  CDS director Pulapre Balakrishnan said that MA Applied Economics course would commence by July. The programme aims to be of world class standard. “CDS will ensure quality for the course which will be beneficial to the state. Already there is sufficient faculty for conducting the course and if needed more professionals would be hired,” he said.  CDS has already invited applications for the four semester courses and the last date for submitting application is April 27. The course would focus on providing knowledge of the analytical framework and methods for studying contemporary issues in Economics connected with development.  There will be 20 students in one batch and eligible candidates would be selected from the entrance examination to be conducted by CDS. Students having a minimum of 50 per cent marks in degree in any discipline can apply for the course.  The graduates of the programme will be well prepared for careers in academia, government, the corporate sector and consulting. There would be one compulsory course in the fourth semester which would be a project on an empirical issue and it will be supervised by a faculty member.M Parameshwaran, assistant professor,CDS, said that the course has wide options for specialisation. The subjects include Microeconomics, Growth and Development, International Economics, Mathematics for Economics, Indian Economic Development, History of Economic Thought, Environmental Economics, Economics of Technology and Innovation, Gender and Development, Population and Development, Labour Economics, Industrial Organisation, Law and Economics, Economic History of Modern India, Issues in Indian Agriculture, Issues in Indian Industry,Political Economy and Development and Governance.   The rich experience of the faculties and researches conducted during the last 40 years would be an added advantage for the students. There would be occasional lectures by distinguished scholars from India and abroad.