The Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), in collaboration with Telangana University, Nizamabad, hosted the Ph.D. Induction Programme for the 2025–26 Batch of the Regular Ph.D. Programme with a focus on Development Studies.
The gathering was welcomed by Dr. Alivelu Kasturi, Dean, Division for Graduate Studies, who noted that this marks the 10th batch of the regular Ph.D. Programme. She warmly welcomed the new scholars to their research journey. As part of the introduction, faculty members, researchers, and newly admitted scholars introduced themselves along with their respective disciplines.
Address by Prof. Dilip M. Nachane, Chairman, CESS
Prof. Nachane shared his rich experience of guiding nearly 35–40 Ph.D. students during his career and highlighted the challenges that scholars face in the course of research. He stressed the importance of carefully choosing a research topic, distinguishing between theoretical and applied economics, and understanding the methodology thoroughly before finalizing.
He observed that in India, only about 2–3% of research is theoretical, while 95% is applied economics. For applied work, access to reliable data sources is the first hurdle. He emphasized the need to be familiar with Indian data sources such as those published by the RBI, National Sample Survey (NSS), etc., and to clearly understand where the data is found, its time span, and its limitations.
Prof. Nachane also pointed out common mistakes, such as confusing case studies with full Ph.D. theses, or selecting topics based on the transitory prominence of social media or current events. For example, issues like Trump tariffs may not have lasting significance, whereas events such as demonetization in India can serve as strong research topics due to their potential recurrence and policy relevance.
He advised that when working on popular topics such as the demographic dividend, students should strive to bring in new perspectives. He underlined the importance of innovation, exploratory data analysis, statistical techniques, and tools like principal component analysis, which are useful even for Sociology and Political Science scholars.
Further, he cautioned that relying solely on correlations is insufficient. Like in medicine, where causality must be demonstrated, in economics too, scholars must clearly establish cause–effect relationships—for instance, showing not just that money supply correlates with inflation, but also why this causality exists.
He emphasized that good research should contribute constructive guidelines for policy-making, and in this regard, he cited the study carried out on farmers’ suicides in Maharashtra. He also focused on the limitations of econometric analysis in influencing policies. He urged students not to rush their theses, but to maintain patience and quality, reminding them that the world is constantly changing and research must address new challenges.
Prof. Nachane concluded by warmly welcoming the students and wishing them success in their Ph.D. journey.
Remarks by Prof. E. Revathi, Director, CESS
Prof. Revathi, who chaired the Induction Programme, explained the curriculum of the Ph.D. Programme, including recent changes in coursework, doctoral committees, and proposal requirements. She stressed the importance of creating new knowledge, careful topic selection, and the role of statistical analysis during the initial phase of research.
She also encouraged students to pursue analytical rather than merely descriptive research, and highlighted emerging areas of interest such as artificial intelligence (AI) and microfinance. Prof. Revathi thanked Prof. Nachane for his insightful guidance to the newly admitted Ph.D. scholars.