Center for Policy Research

Center for Policy Research
Name	Center for Policy Research
Formation	1973
Type	Think tank
Headquarters	New Delhi
Location	India
Leader title	Director

Center for Policy Research is an independent public policy research institution located in New Delhi focusing on urban studies, public finance, governance and social policy. Founded in 1973, it engages with policymakers, civil society and international organizations to influence debates on urbanization, federalism and development planning. The institute collaborates with universities, multilateral agencies and foundations to produce evidence-based analysis for policymakers in India and South Asia.

History

The organization was established in 1973 during a period marked by debates following the Five-Year Plans of India, the aftermath of the Indira Gandhi ministry (1966–1977), and policy shifts after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Early collaborators included scholars associated with Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indian Statistical Institute, and practitioners from the Planning Commission. In the 1980s it expanded work on urban governance amid reforms associated with the National Capital Region (India) and later engaged with reforms connected to the 1991 economic liberalisation in India. The center’s projects have intersected with initiatives by the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and state governments such as Government of Uttar Pradesh and Government of Karnataka. Over decades the institute has hosted visiting fellows from institutions like Harvard University, London School of Economics, Columbia University, Yale University, and University of Chicago.

Mission and Governance

The institute’s stated mission emphasizes evidence-based policy advice, interdisciplinary scholarship and public engagement, aligning with agendas pursued by bodies such as the NITI Aayog, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (India), and municipal corporations like the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Governance is through a board of trustees drawn from academia, civil society and former officials of the Indian Administrative Service, with advisory links to researchers from the International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, and legal scholars from institutions including the Supreme Court of India benches. Leadership transitions have mirrored professional networks connecting to the Reserve Bank of India and major universities such as Delhi University and Oxford University.

Research Areas and Programs

Research spans urbanization, public finance, legal pluralism, federalism, social policy, and environmental planning, engaging with themes relevant to the Smart Cities Mission, Goods and Services Tax (India), and urban infrastructure projects like the Delhi Metro. Programs have focused on municipal fiscal studies in partnership with state urban development ministries, land-use policy interacting with rulings from the Supreme Court of India and case law derived from the Indian Penal Code context, and social inclusion drawing on analyses used by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and UNICEF. Comparative projects examine governance models in contexts such as the United Kingdom, United States, China, Brazil, and South Africa while collaborating with local bodies including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Bangalore Development Authority.

Publications and Policy Impact

The center produces working papers, policy briefs, monographs and edited volumes cited by committees such as the Second Administrative Reforms Commission and parliamentary panels in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Its research has informed municipal finance reforms used by the Ministry of Finance (India), urban land adjudication referenced in litigation before the Delhi High Court, and contributions to international reports by the World Bank and United Nations. Publications have appeared in edited collections alongside presses like Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and journals affiliated with Institute of Development Studies and Economic and Political Weekly.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources include philanthropic foundations such as the Ford Foundation, Gates Foundation, and Tata Trusts, grants from multilateral institutions including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, and commissioned work for state governments and municipal corporations like the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation. Partnerships span academic collaborations with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and policy exchanges with the International Institute for Environment and Development and Centre for Policy Research (other institutions)—noting networks with international think tanks including Brookings Institution, Chatham House, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Notable Staff and Alumni

Alumni and staff have held positions across academia, civil service and international organizations, including appointments to the Indian Administrative Service, professorships at Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Cambridge, and advisory roles with the Reserve Bank of India, NITI Aayog, and the World Bank. Scholars associated with the center have participated in commissions like the Sachar Committee and collaborated with legal scholars linked to the Supreme Court of India. Visiting fellows have included academics from Harvard Kennedy School, Princeton University, and policy practitioners formerly of the United Nations and International Monetary Fund.

Criticism and Controversies

Critiques have come from political parties, think tanks, and activist groups over perceived policy positions in debates related to the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 and urban redevelopment projects tied to state governments such as the Government of Delhi. Concerns raised in public forums have involved funding transparency debates similar to controversies encountered by other institutions like the Centre for Policy Studies and questions about influence in advisory roles to bodies such as the Ministry of Urban Development (India). Litigation and media scrutiny have referenced disputes involving municipal projects in cities like New Delhi and Mumbai.

Category:Think tanks in India