Thrust area & scope
The Centre for Research & Training Coordination & Networking (CRTCN) of NIRD is
a nerve centre for all the academic activities of the institute and it coordinates
with different schools and centres of the institute with a view to achieving excellence
in training, research, consultancy, action research, networking and advocacy.
The NIRD & PR programmes are mainly designed for senior and middle-level officers
of the Central and State Government Departments dealing with Rural Development programmes,
elected members of Panchayati Raj Institutions, faculty of academic institutions,
professionals from banks, NGOs and other development organisations. With the restructuring
of NIRD & PR based on recommendations of the Alagh Committee constituted by MoRD,
Schools and Centres were established and the training and research perspective and
the concomitant programmes were planned to reflect in greater measure the emerging
rural development scenario. With a view to ensuring that the programmes are demand-driven,
training and research on need assessment was carried out with various stakeholders.
Consultations were held with the programme divisions of the flagship programmes
of the Ministries of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and other institutions
such as SIRDs. The deliberations of the workshops, research findings and feedback
from the training programmes of the institute were also factored in designing the
training and research programmes.
Another important activity of the CRTCN is to facilitate periodic review of the
training and research activities of the institute, for which review meetings are
conducted under the chairmanship of the Director General and Deputy Director General.
The Academic Committee, the Research Advisory Committee/Group and the Training Quality
Improvement Measures Committee offer professional support. The feedback received
in the review meetings is used for enriching the quality, content and methodology
of training and research programmes. Besides, appraisal reports and analytical notes
are presented to the Executive Council and the General Council of the institute.
Consolidated reports are sent to the Union Ministry of Rural Development, highlighting
achievements and notable events carried out by the institute.
As part of NIRD's mandate, CRTCN encourages the 29 State Institutes of Rural Development
(SIRDs) for organising Regional Training Programmes by the NIRD&PR faculty members,
even while conducting collaborative off-campus programmes. Besides, 90 Extension
Training Centres (ETCs) are guided by the CRTCN in their training, research and
infrastructure initiatives. Towards building the capacities and competencies of
faculty members, CRTCN coordinates the Faculty Development Scheme (FDS) through
which the faculty is nominated to undergo training at various premier training institutes
within the country and abroad. Simultaneously, it initiates measures for strengthening
inter-institutional collaboration with organisations and institutions involved in
rural development and in this process, it coordinates the training and related activities
with the organisations/institutions such as ITEC/SCAAP, ClRDAP, AARDO, SAARC and
Indo-Africa Action Plan. CRTCN also coordinates the consultancy training programmes
sponsored by Central and State Governments and other national and international
organisations alongside coordinating training programmes by other organisations
at NIRD&PR as venue programmes, for which the expertise and infrastructure of the
institute is made available, as per the standard costs and management norms.
Research
Research and action research comprise the core of academics besides training. The
CRTCN prepares the annual research agenda for NIRD&PR factoring research priorities
and shifts in development paradigms. The major themes of NIRD&PR research include
poverty reduction and rural employment, environment and sustainable development,
decentralisation, good governance, transfer of technology, ICT and GIS applications,
gender studies, HRD, natural resource management and livelihoods, skill development,
equity and social justice with a focus on welfare of SCs and STs, among other critical
themes.
CRTCN formulates research guidelines, invites research proposals and coordinates
formal and informal meetings for finalisation of research proposals of the NIRD&PR
Schools, Centres and SIRDs. The Research Advisory Committee /Group facilitates the
research thought process and projects. Review of the progress of research studies
is done periodically for qualitative and timely completion of research projects.
The Committee /Group brings out annually a publication on research highlights, which
comprises the gist of research projects. NIRD&PR has been actively involved in action
research in a partnership mode to examine the scope for evolving simple and effective
approaches to key development issues. In this context, CRTCN facilitates guidelines
for processing of action research proposals and monitors the progress of action
research projects. It also organises special lectures on action research themes
and coordinates the workshops relating to action research projects. The research
activities are coordinated and headed by Dr. (Ms.) Gyanmudra, Professor & Head (CHRD)
and Head (Research), CRTCN.
Training
The endeavour of the institute is to generate ideas and feedback for policy making
on rural development and to develop necessary competencies for effective and efficient
programme management through workshops, seminars and training and research programmes.
As part of the institute’s efforts to reach out to larger number of stakeholders
and more importantly to strengthen capacity building at State and sub- State levels,
programmes have been planned in the form of off-campus and networking. Besides,
a series of Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes have been designed for the faculty
members of SIRDs and State and District level Resource Persons and Master Trainers
for capacity building of officials of various flagship programmes. As in the previous
years, the institute’s perspective aims at sharing Indian experiences with developing
countries through international training programmes.
CRTCN coordinates the training programmes conducted by different centres, both at
the headquarters and at the regional centre at Guwahati. It facilitates the academic
processes for ensuring high quality training output apart from guiding / organising
workshops, seminars, conferences, retreats and consultative meetings.
The overall aim of the training and research programmes is to facilitate sustainable
rural development, integrating economic and environmental dimensions through empowerment
of rural people. The focus is on effective planning and management of on-going rural
development flagship programmes. The main themes include convergence of various
development programmes, rural livelihoods and micro enterprises, HRD, social development,
social audit, good governance, rural credit management, drinking water and sanitation,
life skills including soft skills, Swatch Bharat Abhiyan, natural resource management,
gender budgeting, applications of GIS and ICT technologies for rural development
among others. Specialised programmes to cater to the specific needs of new initiatives
like NRLM and DDU-GKY were designed. With added focus on Panchayati Raj in the perspective
of the institute and in the context of bottom up approach and decentralised planning,
programmes have been designed on Gram Panchayat based Development Plans. Another
feature of the calendar this year is collaborative programmes with institutions
of repute so as to draw their expertise for the benefit of rural development professionals.
Keeping in view the policy advocacy mandated to the institute workshops, seminars
and consultations are on offer on themes of topical interest such as preparation
of vulnerability index, changing agrarian relations, agriculture innovations, Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR), social accountability mechanisms, decennial performance
assessment of MGNREGS, networking for leveraging institutional synergy and innovations
in rural technologies among others. Besides, training in the form of exposure visits
to ‘best practices’ in the field and institutions form an important component of
the calendar.
NIRD&PR proposes to organise 1430 programmes during the year 2016-17 that include
training programmes, Training of Trainers (ToTs) programmes, workshops, seminars,
retreats, conferences, colloquia, regional and off-campus training programmes, networking
programmes at SIRDs and international training programmes sponsored by the Ministry
of External Affairs, GoI, namely NIRD&PR-ITEC/SCAAP collaborative training programmes
and NIRD&PR-CIRDAP collaborative programmes. Of these programmes, the institute
directly conducts over 300 programmes.
The programme directors would send invitation letters and the brochure of each programme
at least two months before the commencement of the programme. The brochure gives
details of the programme objectives, content, methods, clientele group, programme
team and information about NIRD&PR. For more information, Programme Directors or
the Centre for Research and Training Coordination and Networking (CRTCN) may also
be contacted.
Networking
As part of the 'mandate' to strengthen the Rural Development Institutions and Institutional
Network, CRTCN provides academic guidance and financial support to SIRDs and ETCs
for undertaking research studies on themes relevant to the flagship programmes of
the MoRD/MoPR and the respective State Governments. Another important activity of
CRTCN is to organise the Annual National Colloquium with State Secretaries of Rural
Development and Panchayati Raj and Heads of State Institutes of Rural Development
(SIRDs), which is an important forum for sharing the experiences and assist the
State RD Training Institutions for conducting of training programmes for RD & PR
functionaries including the elected representatives of PRls. The CRTCN also organises
the national colloquium with ETCs, which are sub-State level institutions for conducting
training programmes for RD&PR functionaries and elected representatives of PRIs
at Block/Mandal and GP level. NIRD&PR has been mandated by the Ministry of Rural
Development to assist in administering its central scheme for capacity building
of State RD Training Institutions, under which the CRTCN invites the non-recurring
grant proposals from the SIRDs and ETCs, for sanction of funds support for infrastructure
development, procurement of teaching aids, office equipment and furniture. The CRTCN
also monitors the implementation of the scheme and utilization of the grants sanctioned
by MoRD to the SIRDs and ETCs. It also coordinates the scheme of State Link Officer
(SLO), under which faculty members of NIRD&PR are nominated to different States,
SIRDs and ETCs. The scheme is aimed at building networks and liaise with key RD&PR
related institutions. In effect, they act as bridges between NIRD&PR and SIRDs and
other RD&PR oriented institutions. Importantly, the SLOs help strengthen the SIRDs
in the conduct of training and research programmes for the benefit of RD & PR functionaries
including the elected representatives of PRls. CRTCN also coordinates and organises
the visits of dignitaries, guests and delegates from India and abroad. The training
and network activities are coordinated and headed by Dr. P. Durgaprasad. Dr. R.P.
Achari is the associate coordinator.