First Annual Graduate Workshop in Social Science and Public Policy 2026
21st to the 23rd of July, 2026
The Jindal School of Government and Public Policy (JSGP)
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, O.P. Jindal Global University
The Jindal School of Government and Public Policy (JSGP) is proud to announce the First Annual Graduate Workshop in Social Science and Public Policy to be held at O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonepat, Haryana from the 21st to 23rd of July, 2026. This unique opportunity is aimed at graduate students at advanced stages of their research, providing them a space to present their research and receive valuable feedback and discussion. The workshop aims to provide fertile ground for academic discussion, exchange of ideas, and valuable mentorship and feedback opportunities for graduate students in all disciplines of the social sciences with a view to prepare their work for publication and dissemination in reputed peer-review journals. Seats at the workshop are limited to ensure greater scope for applicants to receive detailed comments and discussion on their submissions.
The theme for this year’s workshop is The New Worlds of Labour. “The theme comprises (but not exhaustive) of the following sub-themes: ”
- Wages, earnings and income distribution.
- Labour conditions and the economics of labour.
- The impact of AI on labour and work.
- Ethnographic studies on workers and the working world.
- Gender and work.
- New forms of work – the gig economy and AI.
Speaker
Farzana Afridi
Professor, Economics and Planning Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi
Title of the talk: Leveraging Technology to Improve Women’s Work Opportunities
Ruchira Sen
Associate Professor, Jindal School of Journalism and Communication, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana
Title of the session: Time for You and Time for Me: The Time Use Survey of India
Sumeet Mhaskar
Professor, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana
Title of the talk: When Policy Mediates: Moral Capital and the Politics of Labour in a Neoliberal City
Schedule of the Programme
| DAY-1: Tuesday, 21st July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Time | Programme Details |
| 8.00 AM – 9.00 AM | Registration and Breakfast |
| 9.15 AM – 9.20 AM | Welcome Address Rahul Menon Associate Professor, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy O.P. Jindal Global University |
| 9.20 AM – 9.30 AM | Opening Remarks R. Sudarshan, Dean, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy O.P. Jindal Global University |
| 9.30 AM – 10.30 AM | KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Leveraging technology to improve women’s work opportunitiesFarzana Afridi Professor, Economics and Planning Unit Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi |
| 10.30 AM – 11.00 AM | Tea/Coffee Break |
| 11.00 AM – 1.00 PM |
Session 1 1. Faiyaz Julfikar, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur Title: “Gender-based Property Tax Discounts: Role in bargaining power of women in household and intergenerational educational outcome.” Discussant: Farzana Afridi 2. Akansha Gupta, Delhi School of Economics Title: “Human capital shock and economic development: Evidence from Partition of India.” Discussant: Sunetra Ghatak |
| 1.00 PM – 2.30 PM | Lunch |
| 2.30 PM – 4.30 PM |
Session 2 1. Mritunjay Kumar, Ashoka University Title: “Can Affirmative Action Reduce Wealth Gaps? Evidence from a Natural Experiment in India.” Discussant: Manini Ojha 2. Abhinav Dutta, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad Title: “Labour and Electoral Politics: Tracing the Labour Question in an Electoral Setting.” Discussant: Swetasree Ghosh Roy |
| DAY 2 : Wednesday, 22nd July 2026 Venue: Somapura, 2nd Floor, Shallu Jindal Academic Block (T5) |
|
|---|---|
| Time | Programme Details |
| 8.00 AM – 9.00 AM | BREAKFAST |
| 9.00 AM – 10.30 AM | Training Session: Time for you and time for me: The Time Use Survey of IndiaRuchira Sen Associate Professor, Jindal School of Journalism and Communication O.P. Jindal Global University |
| 10.30 AM – 11.00 AM | Tea/Coffee Break |
| 11.00 AM – 1.00 PM |
Session 3 1. Rajib Das, Tripura University Title: “Transformed Labour Worlds: Reconfiguring Labour Practices Among Tribal Communities Displaced by the Gomati Hydroelectric Project in Northeast India.” Discussant: Sumeet MhaskarRajib Das, Tripura University 2. Meera Ancy Vincent, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar Title: “Financial Constraints and Factor Substitution: Evidence from India.” Discussant: Debajit Jha |
| 1.00 PM – 2.30 PM | Lunch |
| 2.30 PM – 3.30 PM |
Session 4 1. Sikander Singh, Jawaharlal Nehru University Title: “From Fields to Footloose Labour: Agrarian Distress and Fragmented Labour Regime in Rural Punjab.” Discussant: Prachi Bansal |
| DAY-3: Thursday, 23rd July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Time | Programme Details |
| 8.30 AM – 9.30 AM | Breakfast |
| 9.30 AM – 11.30 AM | Session 5
1. Maria-Daniela Pomohaci, Centre for Modern Indian Studies, Gotingen University Title: “Labouring in Filth, Governing Through Neglect: Sanitation Workers and Municipal Governance in Colonial Calcutta.” Discussant: Aparna Agarwal 2. Athul Mohan, University of Kerala Title: “A Home that is Not a Homeland: Social and Cultural Bereavement and Restructured Identities of Sri Lankan Refugees in Kerala.” Discussant: Vidya Subramanian and Meenuka Mathew |
| 11.30 AM – 11.45 AM | Tea/Coffee Break |
| 11.45 AM – 1.15 PM | Valedictory Address: When Policy Mediates: Moral Capital and the Politics of Labour in a Neoliberal CitySumeet Mhaskar Professor, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy O.P. Jindal Global University |
| 1.15 PM | Vote of Thanks
Naveen J. Thomas |
| 1.30 PM | Lunch |
Organizing Committee
| Name | Designation | Email Id |
|---|---|---|
| R. Sudarshan | Professor and Dean, JSGP | rsudarshan@jgu.edu.in |
| Naveen J. Thomas | Professor and Executive Dean, JSGP | naveenthomas@jgu.edu.in |
| Rahul Menon | Associate Professor, JSGP | rahul.menon@jgu.edu.in |
| Ankush Garg | Assistant Professor | Ankush.garg@jgu.edu.in |
| Lalit M Singh Nepolia | Chief Manager, JSGP | lmsnepolia@jgu.edu.in |
| Sameer Bhasin | Senior Manager, JSGP | sameer.bhasin@jgu.edu.in |
| Bhawna Goswami | Phd Student, JSGP | bgoswami@jgu.edu.in |
| Sayantani Manna | Phd Student, JSGP | smanna@jgu.edu.in |
Contact Information
For workshop related queries, please write to acep.jsgp@jgu.edu.in