DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR CHAIR

Introduction:
The Dr Ambedkar Foundation, New Delhi, set up the Chair in Social Work in National Institute of Social Work and Social Sceience (NISWASS) to pay homage to the memory of Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

The prime objective of setting up the Chair was to provide necessary facilities to undertake studies and research by intellectuals, academicians, scholars and students to understand, assess, analyze and disseminate ideology, thoughts and mission for which Dr. Ambedkar strived and provide opportunities to develop appropriate methodologies and strategies to translate them in to practical propositions. The teaching, study, and research under the Chair should focus on the socio-economic and legal status of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, the Weaker Sections and other marginalized groups of Indian society and concentrate on the impact and outcome of various measures, strategies and programmes adopted by the various agencies of Government from time to time. The entire exercise should focus on bringing out meaningful outcome to suggest and advise remedial measures to facilitate the relevant Agencies for adopting them for the formulation of adequate policies, programmes and their effective implementation.

The Foundation allocated to the, Chair in NISWASS the thrust area (Social Work) for pursuing study, research, teaching and extension activities.

To achieve the objectives, the functions of the Chair will include teaching, research and evaluative studies in the allocated thrust area. It will organize seminars, workshops, symposia, conferences, lectures, panel discussions etc. It will provide assistance to academicians, intellectuals, and students/research scholars for undertaking the theoretical and field studies by applying appropriate research methodologies respectively. It will assign short and long time research projects to post-graduate students and research scholars. Topics for post graduate dissertations and doctoral theses leading to M.Phil, Ph.D. will be allocated. Productive activities of the Chair will include publication of books, journals, articles, research papers, research projects, research out come, case studies and monographs especially in the thrust area. The Chair will undertake any other assigned studies and research projects by the Foundation from time to time. Such research studies can be entrusted by the Chair to other relevant research agencies/ individuals or Institutions with the approval of the Foundation. The Chair may enter into National/International collaborations for undertaking studies and research on the subject(s) relevant to the objectives, functions of the Chair and its allocated thrust area.

While the Bhubaneswar Centre, admitted students mostly from General Communities, Sundargarh Centre gave emphasis on the recruitment of Scheduled Tribe students, and the Phulbani Centre recruited students from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe background. Each of these three Centres had 60 Bachelors students each.