The Research and Training Division (RTD) of NIRD is a coordinating center of all the academic activities of the institute with a view to achieving excellence in Training, Research, Consultancy and Action Research.
TRAINING
RTD coordinates the various training programmes of the 11 centres at the headquarters and the regional center at Guwahati for ensuring high quality training RTD facilitates the processes through which the proposals relating to workshops, seminars and courses are finalized. The NIRD annual Training Calendar details the programme titles, dates, clients, venues etc., and the course team. Through its reviews of the training programmes, it provides feedback both to the faculty and the management committees (EC and GC) even highlighting the achievements.
As a part of NIRD’s mandate, RTD collects and scrutinizes the requests of the various State Institutes of Rural Developments (SIRDs) and help in organizing off-campus programmes by the faculty members.
To build the capacities of faculty members, it coordinates the Faculty Development Scheme through which the faculties are trained at various premier training institutes within the country and abroad.
RTD initiates several measures for strengthening the inter-institutional collaborations and coordinates the training and related activities with the institutions such as AARDO, CIRDAP, SAARC and ESCAP. It also coordinates the consultancy training programmes as well. It also facilitates the conduct of venue training programmes by other organizations at NIRD.
RESEARCH
RTD prepares the research agenda for NIRD keeping in view the shifts in development paradigms. The major themes for NIRD research include: poverty reduction and rural employment, environment and sustainable development, decentralization and good governance and transfer of technology. It lays special emphasis on livelihoods of core poverty groups and empowerment of dalits and women.
RTD formulates research guidelines and invites research proposals and also coordinates several formal and informal meetings for finalization of research proposals of the NIRD Centres and its link institutes. It enables the management to review the progress of various research studies periodically for qualitative and timely completion of research projects. It brings out a publication on Research Highlights every year.
NIRD has been actively involved in Action Research in a partnership mode to examine the scope for evolving simple and effective approaches to some of the development issues. RTD periodically formulates guidelines for processing of action research proposals and monitors the progress of action research projects. It organizes special talks on the action research themes and also coordinates the workshops relating to the action research projects.
NETWORKING
As a part of the mandate to strengthen the RD institutional network, it provides guidance and financial support to SIRDs for undertaking research studies on themes relevant to the states. It also scrutinizes the requests for establishing Video Conferencing Facility (VCF) at SIRDs. RTD organizes the National Colloquium of Secretaries of PR&RD and Heads of SIRDs and Regional Meetings of Heads of SIRDs and Principals of ETCs every year where the infrastructural problems and training activities of SIRDs and ETCs are discussed and appropriate corrective measures initiated.
RTD scrutinizes all the master plans submitted by SIRDs for the development of infrastructure at SIRDs and ETCs and provides its recommendations to MORD. It also monitors the Progress of State Training Action Plans for PR&RD officials on a quarterly basis.
CONSULTANCY
It encourages and scouts for relevant consultancy projects. It also convenes the meetings of the Consultancy Core Group of NIRD for examining the requests from outside agencies and facilitates decision making with respect to consultancy research and training assignments.
OTHERS
In matters relating to research and training, RTD keeps in constant touch with the various Ministries and Development Agencies.
It coordinates the State Link Officer (SLO) Scheme of NIRD which is designed to strengthen the links between NIRD-States-SIRDs-ETCs.
PROFILE OF THE STAFF
Dr. M.V Rao, Deputy Director General is the overall coordinator of Research and Training Division.
Dr. K. Suman Chandra is Head of the Research and Training Division.
Dr. R. P Achari assists in Training related activities.
Shri P. Janardhan Rao assists the SIRD related activities.
The team is supported by a small group of secretarial staff
