Centre For Development Studies

What Centre For Development Studies does

The Centre for Development Studies (CDS) is an Indian academic research institution established in 1971 and headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It operates under the formal aegis of the Government of Kerala and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Government of India, and awards its graduate degrees through a long-standing affiliation with Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. CDS runs a two-year residential MA in Applied Economics, a PhD in Economics (admission via UGC-NET), and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship, with student intake governed by national entrance examinations and government-regulated tuition.

The institution's core activities are policy-oriented economic research and graduate-level economics education. CDS conducts funded research projects under named endowments (Planning Commission, RBI, RULSG, NRPPD, International Migration from Kerala) and through grants from international organizations such as the ILO, with current topics including platform economy informality, India's space economy, and financial inclusion in the informal sector. Outputs include working papers (over 500 published), books, research reports, and a Commentary Series on India's Economy, with research impact evidenced by citations in the Economic Survey 2023-24 and ongoing RBI/NITI Aayog engagement. The K.N. Raj Library and Training Programme Unit support research dissemination and faculty development.

CDS is funded primarily through government grants from Kerala and ICSSR, supplemented by endowment income, modest regulated tuition fees, and project-specific research grants. It is not a commercial enterprise and operates as a state-supported research institution rather than a venture-backed or publicly listed entity. The organization has no disclosed proprietary technology and no commercial product lines; its "products" are academic programmes, publications, and commissioned research services. Customer relationships are concentrated among government ministries, central banks, and a small residential student cohort.

Name

Centre For Development Studies

Legal name

Centre for Development Studies

Website

https://cds.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram, is a government-funded Indian social science research institution affiliated with JNU, offering MA and PhD programmes in economics and conducting policy research on Indian development for government and international clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research and Higher Education in Development Economics

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Management Research Institutes & Doctoral (PhD/DBA) Programs (EDAHAHAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, Political Science) (EDAGABAD), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)

Keywords

• Development economics research
• Graduate economics programs
• Public policy research
• Applied economics education
• Social science research

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: CDS receives core funding from the Government of Kerala and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Government of India, as an autonomous research institution.
2. Endowment Funds: Multiple endowment funds support various research programs, prizes, and fellowships including Planning Commission Endowment, RBI Endowment, RULSG, NRPPD, and named endowments like PK Gopalakrishnan, BG Kumar, and Joan Robinson prizes.
3. Student Tuition Fees: Revenue from MA Applied Economics and PhD Economics programs through student fees for the residential two-year programs.
4. Research Project Grants: Funded research projects from international organizations (ILO), government agencies, and research grants for specific studies on development economics, migration, plantation sectors, and social issues.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CDS delivers residential graduate programmes in Applied Economics (MA) and Economics (PhD), both degrees awarded through Jawaharlal Nehru University, alongside Post-Doctoral Fellowships and the K N Raj Research Fellowship. The institution also conducts policy-relevant research through funded projects (NRPPD, RULSG, ILO platform-economy study, international migration studies), publishes working papers and books on Indian development economics, and runs a Training Programme Unit offering workshops on public finance, GST, research methodology and economics teaching.

Product overview

Centre for Development Studies is an academic research institution under the Government of Kerala and ICSSR, Government of India, offering a portfolio of educational programmes (MA in Applied Economics, PhD in Economics, Post-Doctoral Fellowship) and research services. The institution conducts funded research projects (NRPPD, RULSG, International Migration from Kerala), publishes working papers and books, maintains the K.N. Raj Library, and runs a Training Programme Unit for faculty development. The academic programmes are affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MA in Applied Economics A two-year full-time residential Master's programme in Applied Economics affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, focused on applied economics from a plural perspective with quantitative and policy-oriented coursework; admission is based on CUET percentile scores.
• PhD in Economics Doctoral programme in Economics offered at CDS, with admission based on UGC-NET score and Junior Research Fellowship; degrees are awarded by Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
• Post-Doctoral Fellowship Fellowship programme for postdoctoral researchers in development economics and related fields, enabling advanced scholars to conduct research within CDS's institutional environment.
• K N Raj Fellowship Research fellowship designed to strengthen research linkages and promote joint scholarly work between faculty members in Kerala and the academic community at CDS.
• PhD Internship Abroad Programme enabling CDS PhD scholars to be exposed to international research methodologies through interaction with resource persons and collaborators at institutions abroad.
• Research Projects Funded research projects conducted by CDS faculty covering NRPPD (plantation development), RULSG (living standards of the poor), international migration from Kerala, the ILO platform-economy study, and other commissioned studies on development economics.
• Training Programme Unit Unit offering training programmes for faculty and researchers including workshops on public finance, GST, research methodology and economics teaching innovations.
• CDS Working Papers Series Series of working papers covering research in development economics, including topics such as MSME impact assessments, digitalization and financial inclusion, and international trade.
• Books and Research Articles Books and research articles published by CDS faculty on development-economics topics including industrial policy, climate change, fiscal policy and labour economics.

Quantifiable outcome

• CDS mobile manufacturing study cited in Economic Survey 2023-24 showing significant increase in domestic value addition, employment, wages and salaries
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New DelhicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS MA and PhD degrees are awarded by Jawaharlal Nehru University. The integrated MPhil-PhD programme was affiliated to JNU until 2017-19. This affiliation is fundamental to CDS academic programs.
• Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Government of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICSSR is a key funding and regulatory partner, operating under the Ministry of Education. Provides grants for research projects, fellowships, and institutional support to CDS.
• Government of KeralacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS operates under the aegis of Government of Kerala. The state government provides core funding, supports endowments, and grants study leave to CDS faculty.
• Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for joint research projects. CDS faculty deliver lectures at IIST in humanities and social sciences. Currently conducting research project on India's space economy.
• International Labour Organization (ILO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerILO is funding a research project on Platform Economy in India studying informality, remuneration, and working time patterns.
• Planning Commission / NITI AayogminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS has Planning Commission endowment and maintains engagement with NITI Aayog for policy research and consultation.
• National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), BengaluruminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint webinar on India's Space Economy 2011-12 to 2020-21 conducted with NIAS researchers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Centre for Policy Research (CPR): New Delhi-based think tank conducting research on Indian economic and political policy. Comparable to CDS in producing rigorous, policy-cited research from an autonomous institutional base.
• Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER): Delhi-based policy think tank conducting research on international economics, trade, and development. Comparable to CDS in producing policy-relevant economic research for Indian and international audiences.
• National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP): New Delhi-based autonomous research institute focusing on public finance, taxation, and fiscal policy research. Comparable to CDS as a government-supported economic policy research body with similar funding structure.
• National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER): New Delhi-based autonomous economic policy research institute producing influential studies cited in Indian policymaking. Comparable to CDS in policy research mandate and government engagement.
• Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS): Chennai-based social science research institute offering MPhil and PhD programs with focus on development studies. Closest regional peer to CDS with a similar academic-government structure.
• Indian Statistical Institute (ISI): Kolkata-based institution of national importance focused on statistics, quantitative economics, and research. Comparable to CDS in academic research intensity and government-recognized status.
• Institute of Economic Growth (IEG): Delhi-based autonomous academic research institution focused on economic development research with PhD and postgraduate programs. Directly comparable to CDS as a sister development-economics research centre in India.
• Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex: UK-based global institution for development research and postgraduate teaching. International counterpart to CDS with comparable focus on development economics, policy research, and graduate programs.
• Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR): Mumbai-based autonomous research institution under the Reserve Bank of India focused on development economics research and PhD programs. Comparable to CDS in RBI-linked governance and applied economics focus.

Others

• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU): New Delhi-based central university that awards CDS's degrees and serves as its academic anchor. Ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, providing degree-granting legitimacy and faculty linkages.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cdstrivandrum
• YouTubeyoutube.com/cdskeral
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/161461153897391
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-development-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centre For Development Studies