About the Department

The Department of Studies in Social Management (DSSM) was established in Central University of Gujarat to nurture a multidisciplinary approach which integrates disciplines of Social Work, Management and Public Policy embedded in the Social Sciences, for dealing with complex development issues.

The Programme commenced in the year 2010-11. Social Management as a discipline envisages a rigorous teaching and research programme that seeks to impart, understand and develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills with respect to policy issues so as to act as a catalyst for change. The core idea is to have professionals and researchers who will contribute in innovative and critical ways to the development sector. Given the diverse actors in the policy domain, the Centre provides a platform for dialogue between academia, government, civil society and NGOs at various levels.

Areas of Research Interest: Governance, Management of Reforms, Social Exclusion, Law and Marginality, Migration, Financial Inclusion, Women Empowerment, Corporate Social Responsibility, Police Studies, Criminal Justice Reforms and Institutional Studies.

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Vision & Mission

Objectives

  • To develop teaching/training aimed at front-line managers with a concretised social perspective, especially at the grass root levels with a view to provide professional Social Management personnel the developmental sector that straddles the state, market and the civil society.
  • To evolve experimental action programmes and strategies related to development which are innovative and demonstrative of new areas of practice/strategies/service delivery, which can also serve as centres for training and research.
  • To undertake research that will contribute to theory building and practice in a multidisciplinary intervention framework.
  • To contribute to policy discussions at various levels, that defines the context for a proper intervention based on the outcomes of field and academic initiatives.
  • To critically introduce the issues of marginal and excluded peoples in the context of the state and market within the framework of rights-based empowered perspective.

Key Strengths

Regular inbuilt (concurrent) fieldwork across all semesters of UG and PG programmes.

Research-oriented 4-year Undergraduate Programme.

Strong focus on Social Work and Social Management integration.

Regular faculty participation in high-level research methodology workshops (Digital Ethnography, SPSS, etc.).

Diverse student intake across multiple academic years.

Updated curriculum meeting current industry and academic standards.

Faculty Profile

Prof Sony Kunjappan (Professor & Head)
Prof. Sony Kunjappan (Professor & Head)

Department: Studies in Social Management

Email: sony@cug.ac.in

Specialization: Social Work Education, Governance, Criminology, Police Studies, Criminal Justice Social Work, Prison Reforms, Juvenile Justice, Justice Education & Human Rights.

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Dr Tulja Bhavani (Associate Professor)
Dr. Tulja Bhavani (Associate Professor)

Department: Studies in Social Management

Email: tuljabhavanijaswanth@cug.ac.in

Specialization: Accounting and Finance, Human Resources Accounting, Research Methodology, Management, Business law.

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Dr Sudeep Basu (Associate Professor)
Dr. Sudeep Basu (Associate Professor)

Department: Studies in Social Management

Email: sbasu@cug.ac.in

Specialization: Refugee and diaspora studies, migration, marginalities and exclusion, law and society, sociology of knowledge and philosophical anthropology.

IRINS Profile
Dr Litty Denis (Associate Professor)
Dr. Litty Denis (Associate Professor)

Department: Studies in Social Management

Email: litty.denis@cug.ac.in

Specialization: Management, Accounting, Financial Inclusion, Women Empowerment, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainable Development.

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Dr Vijay Kumar Mishra (Assistant Professor)
Dr. Vijay Kumar Mishra (Assistant Professor)

Department: Studies in Social Management

Email: vijay.mishra@cug.ac.in

Specialization: Social Work Education, Social Movement, Gandhian Philosophy, Governance, Social Reforms.

IRINS Profile
Dr Kirti Arya (Assistant Professor)
Dr. Kirti Arya (Assistant Professor)

Department: Studies in Social Management

Email: kirti.arya@cug.ac.in

Specialization: Medical Social Work, Substance and Drug Use, Public Health Social Work, Social Work in Disability Studies, Social Work Research, Counseling, Environmental Social Work, Research Methodology.

Programs

Integrated / Dual Degree (B.A (Hon) Social Management) – (M.A Social Management)
Department: Studies In Social Management
Duration: 4 Years
Course Structure:
Masters of Social Work (MSW)
Department: Studies In Social Management
Duration: 2 Years
Course Structure:
Ph.D. in Social Management
Department: Studies In Social Management
Duration: As per UGC Guidelines
Course Structure:

Research Projects

Ongoing Projects
Title PI / Co-PI Funding Agency Amount Duration
Perceptions and Experiences of Women in Leadership Roles in Indian Corporates: A Comprehensive Study Dr. Litty Denis (Co-Investigator) National Commission for Women ₹10.40 lakh Ongoing
Completed Projects
Title PI / Co-PI Funding Agency Amount Year
Documentation of PMPY Scheme in Banaskantha District in Gujarat PI: Prof. Sony Kunjappan; Co-PI: Prof. H.B. Patel, Dr. Tulika Tripathi UNICEF ₹29,41,675 Feb 2025 – Jun 2025

Publications

Books by Faculty
# Author(s) Title Publication Details
1 Dr. Tulja Bhavani Business Environment 2024, ISBN: 978-93-95250-87-0, Shree Publishing House, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
2 Dr. Tulja Bhavani Human Resource Management 2024, ISBN: 978-81-977245-6-5, Vedashree Publications, Ranga Reddy District, Telangana.
3 Dr. Tulja Bhavani Money, Banking and Financial Markets 2024, ISBN: 978-93-95250-28-3, Shree Publishing House, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
4 Dr. Litty Denis Financial Inclusion among Marginalized Women: A Case Study of Female Sex Workers at Ahmedabad 2025, Allied Publishers, Delhi.
Chapters in Edited Books
# Author(s) Chapter Title Book / Publisher Year
1 Kunjappan, Sony; Sinha, Ruchi & Quadros, Donita Police Social Work in India The Routledge International Handbook of Criminal Justice Social Work, Routledge January 2026
2 Kunjappan, Sony & Kumari, Nidhi Victimology: Meaning and Concept; Victimology: Theories and Perspectives Self-Learning Material (SLM), IGNOU May 2025
3 Bhavani, Tulja Units on Operations Management (Process Improvement, Project Management, Globalization, IT in Operations, Case Studies) BMP-002: Operations Management (IGNOU ODL)
4 Basu, Sudeep; in Das, Bidhan Kanti et al. Reimagining Ignorance and Forced Migration: Connections and Possibilities Knowledge, Power and Ignorance: The Indian Context, Routledge, London & New York, pp. 19–30 2024
5 Mishra, Vijay Kumar Mahatma Gandhi's Approaches to Social Reform Ideology, Philosophy and Indian Politics, Pustak Bharati (Books-India) 2024
Journal Articles
# Author(s) Title Journal Year / Volume
1 Jabbi, Alhaji; Jayaprakash, Kuruduparambhu; Sajithkumar; Cheong, Young Ju; Sanyang, Edrisa; Kunjappan, Sony & Padil, V T Vinod Sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Behaviour Change in South Asia: A Systematic Review Sustainable Development (Q1 Journal) Vol. 33, Issue 6, December 2025
2 Vanara, Manoj & Kunjappan, Sony Navigating Legal and Financial Terrain: Startup Owners' Perspectives in Gujarat Rabindra Bharati University: Journal of Economics (ISSN: 0975-802X) Vol. XVII, 2024
3 Kunjappan, Sony & Kumari, Nidhi Overcrowding in Indian Prison: Causes, Consequences and Measures Bihar Journal of Public Administration (UGC-CARE Listed) July–December, 2024
4 Bhavani, Tulja A Theoretical Construct of Cultural Belief on Accounting Practices International Journal of Cultural Studies and Social Sciences (ISSN: 2347-4777) Volume-20, Issue-2, No.22, Jul–Dec 2024
5 Bhavani, Tulja Assessing the Growth Dynamics: A Comparative Analysis of Production, Sales and Employment in the Khadi and Village Industries Sector International Journal of Academic Research & Development (ISSN: 2395-1737) Special Issue, April 2025
6 Bhavani, Tulja Green Returns: A Comparative Analysis of SBI's Green Rupee Term Deposit Interest Rates International Journal of Cultural Studies and Social Sciences (ISSN: 2347-4777) Volume-22, Issue-1, No.13, Jan–Jun 2025
7 Majumder, Sarasij & Basu, Sudeep The Business of Political Action: Voters as Spectating Players and the Question of Agency Economic & Political Weekly Vol. LIX, No. 20, pp. 35–39, 2024
8 Mishra, Manish & Basu, Sudeep Child Nutrition amidst COVID-19 Pandemic in Gujarat Third Concept May 2024, pp. 35–37
9 Mishra, Manish Kumar & Basu, Sudeep Food-Tech Companies' Coping and Recovery during COVID-19: Case of Zomato Odisha Economic Journal Volume 56, Issue 1, pp. 113–129, 2024
10 Panchamia, J.; Denis, L. & Ashwath, N. Assessing Training Needs and Self-Efficacy of Hospital Administrators in Western India Cureus (Springer Nature; indexed in Web of Science) Cureus 16(12): e75292, 7th December 2024
11 Dr. Kirti Arya Expanding Access to Information Beyond Religious Constraints: Benefits of Humanism in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Studies in Science of Science (Scopus Indexed) 2025
12 Dr. Kirti Arya Diaspora Philanthropy: A Phenomenological Study in Pursuit of Evolving Opportunities in Contemporary India Sahitya Manthan 2023
Paper Presentations
# Author(s) Paper Title Conference / Seminar Date
1 Prof. Sony Kunjappan Contextual Speech at Inaugural Session State Level Seminar on "Future of the World of Work", Mahatma Gandhi Labour Institute (MGLI) 23–24 January 2025
2 Prof. Sony Kunjappan Panellist: "Dignity, Social Inclusion and Future Pathways" National Seminar on "Sanitation Workers in India", Mahatma Gandhi Labour Institute, Ahmedabad 26–27 March 2025
3 Prof. Sony Kunjappan Security Laws: Understanding the Balance between Sovereign Necessity and Procedural Web National Seminar on Parliamentary Sovereignty vs. Judicial Oversight, NSS College Pandalam February 2026
4 Dr. Sudeep Basu Forced Migration in an Age of Neoliberal Development Guest Speaker, BITS Dubai Campus 17 April 2025
5 Dr. Sudeep Basu Governing Migration and Forced Migrant Vulnerabilities in the 21st Century: A View from Delhi BITS Pilani Golden Jubilee International Conference, BITS Dubai Campus, UAE 16 April 2025
6 Dr. Sudeep Basu Rethinking Sanitary Work in India: A Social Critique of Manual Scavenging 5th Annual Conference of the Indian Anthropological Society, Amity University Noida 26–27 September 2024
7 Prachi; Dr. Litty Denis; Dr. Tulika Tripathi Women's Capabilities from a Disability Perspective: A Study of Employment and Empowerment Annual Human Development Capabilities Approach (HDCA) Conference September 2024

Student Achievements

PhD Degrees Awarded
# Name Thesis / Achievement Year
1 Dr. Aslam Moideen Awarded PhD for thesis on POCSO Act and Child Sexual Abuse 2023
2 Dr. Pooja Ashar Awarded PhD for thesis on Reinventing Legal Curriculum in Gujarat 2023
3 Dr. Deepak Kumar Swain Awarded PhD for thesis on Social Science Research and Policy Linkages 2024
4 Dr. Manish Mishra Awarded PhD in Social Management 2024
5 Dr. Jasmy C Anto Awarded PhD in Social Management 2024
6 Dr. Solanki Jayesh Awarded PhD in Social Management 2024
Books Published by Students
# Author Title Publication Details
1 Rajni Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam Made Simple: From Evidence Act 1873–2023 September 2025, HSRA Publications, Bangalore
Placements & Fellowships
# Student Name Description Year
1 Yash Kumar Sharma JRF Fellowship 2025
2 Sharma Kavya Sanjay Kumar JRF Fellowship 2025
3 Harshita Singh JRF Fellowship 2026
4 Jeeze Sara Saji JRF Fellowship 2026
5 Muhammed Shuraif CV JRF Fellowship 2026

Staff Achievements

# Faculty Name Achievement Year
1 Prof. Sony Kunjappan Member of Board of Studies in B.A. (Hons.) Public Policy at Cochin University of Science and Technology 2026
2 Prof. Sony Kunjappan Elected Secretary of the South Asian Society of Criminology and Victimology (SASCV) 2024
3 Prof. Sony Kunjappan Member, TSU Capacity Development Council 2023
4 Prof. Sony Kunjappan Member of Board of Studies (Criminology/Crime Science/Ph.D) at Rashtriya Raksha University (3 years) 2025
5 Prof. Sony Kunjappan Chaired Session / Special Invitee for the 4th BRICS RI International Conference at PDEU September 2025

Distinguished Lectures & Seminars

Distinguished Lectures
# Event Speaker Date
1 DSSM Distinguished Lecture Series – 1: "Scope of Social Management in Development Sector: Need Towards Greater Interface" Shri A.M. Tiwari, Former Principal Secretary, Education, Govt. of Gujarat 29 January 2025
2 Orientation Programme – SOLVE (Social Opportunity Lab for Vision & Execution) FULCRUM 4 September 2025
3 "Food-Planet-Health" (Joint Collaboration with DSSM and NSS) Ms. Nija Dhillon, Vegan Outreach 17 September 2025
Seminars & Conferences Organised
# Name Sponsored by / Collaboration Date
1 University-Industry Linkages: Exploring Possibilities in the Manufacturing Sector and Beyond at Vadodara, Gujarat Central University of Gujarat (CUG) in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) 19 December 2025

Placements & Fellowships

# Student Name Description Year
1 Yash Kumar Sharma JRF Fellowship 2025
2 Sharma Kavya Sanjay Kumar JRF Fellowship 2025
3 Harshita Singh JRF Fellowship 2026
4 Jeeze Sara Saji JRF Fellowship 2026
5 Muhammed Shuraif CV JRF Fellowship 2026

Alumni

PhD Alumni
# Name Passing Year Organisation
1 Aslam Moideen CA 2023 Nehru College of Educational and Charitable Trust (Asst. Professor)
2 Pooja Kishan Ashar 2023 Hon'ble High Court of Gujarat (Asst. Government Pleader)
3 Jasmy C Anto 2024 St. Mary's College, Trichur (Asst. Professor)
4 Deepak Kumar Swain 2024 PP Savani University, Surat (Asst. Professor)
5 Chhote Lal Yadav 2022 Institute of Law, Nirma University (Asst. Professor)
6 Rachel Irene David D'Silva 2022 DM Harish School of Law, HSNC University (Visiting Faculty)
Masters (PG) Alumni
# Name Passing Year Organisation
1 Aroocheril Jessil Jeeson 2025 Gandhi Fellowship Programme
2 Joshua Raju George 2025 Teach for India Fellowship
3 Anjali Sajan 2023 Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (Govt. Project)
4 Rahul Kumar 2023 MGNCRE (Ministry of Education Project)
5 Ashly Saji 2024 Development Sector Professional (Social Work)
Bachelors (UG) Alumni
# Name Passing Year Organisation / Track
1 Aman Kumar 2025 Ministry of Rural Development (Internship/Project)
2 Neha Kumari 2025 Central University of Gujarat (PG)
3 Nidhi Pal 2025 Sikkim University (International Relations / Academic Track)
4 Haritha H 2023 Higher Education / Public Policy Research

Facilities Available

Classrooms

Smart / ICT-enabled rooms equipped for hybrid learning.

Library Resources

Access to departmental and central library resources to support research and academic activities.

International Student Advisory Cell

Dedicated support for international students and cross-cultural academic engagement.

Specialized Curricula

Specialized curricula designed for research in Social Management, integrating fieldwork across all semesters.