Centre for Equity Studies

The Centre for Equity Studies (CES) was founded in August 2000 by Prof. Ghanshyam Shah, Prof. S. Parasuraman, Prof. Jean Drèze, Mr. N.C. Saxena and Mr. Harsh Mander. In October 2001, it was registered under the Society Registration Act, 1860. It is an autonomous institution engaged in research and advocacy on issues of social justice. It seeks to enquire into the nature and causes of social injustice and inequity and to collectively, through research and action projects, find methods of moving towards a more equitable world.

CES particularly focus on right to food & social security, agrarian distress and informal labour, adivasi rights, religious and communal conflict, exclusions based on age, gender and disability, the plight of street children and the homeless. We seek to influence and shape public policy and law in favour of India’s most disadvantaged communities through a range of work, which includes three main areas:

Law and social policy design and advocacy
 Research into the exclusion of the disadvantaged from government programmes, laws, & policies
Grassroots engagement to help develop alternatives to existing programmes, laws & policies.
Based on field-level research amongst various marginalized communities in India, we propose policy changes and engage people across the development spectrum in meaningful debates, including academics, civil servants, activists, the media, and, most directly, the communities with whom we work closely.The Centre also plays an implementation role in related areas such as homes for street children and the homeless; and health clinics, recovery shelters and street medicine program for the latter. We envisage in creating best practice models in these fields urging the public and the government towards more responsible and humane concerns for the underprivileged.