The Department of Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies was established in 2011. It is an interdisciplinary centre focusing on research and studies in Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies. The Centre offered M.Phil.-Ph.D. in Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies from 2011 to 2019. Now the Centre offers Ph.D. in Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies.
Major thrust areas of research include different aspects of Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies such as: Satyagraha, Sarvodaya, Swaraj, Ahimsa/Peace, Conflict Resolution, Movements, Democracy, Gandhian/Thought, Gandhian Philosophy, Environment movements, peace movements, Decentralisation, Gram Swaraj, Movements, Alternative economic models, and non-violent struggles.
Ph.D. in Gandhian Thought and Peace Studies promotes interdisciplinary research. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi remains a critical reference point to discern plurality of ideas like Satyagraha, Ahimsa and the doctrine of means and ends. The contemporary relevance of the ideas of Gandhi provides a foundation to the discipline of peace studies. Students in the research programme explore a variety of topics which include peacebuilding through reconciliation, social movements to ensure justice, religion and conflict, violence and its manifestation in different forms. Ph.D. programme aims at equipping the students with theoretical and empirical knowledge of Gandhian philosophy and peace studies. Students are taught original writings of Gandhi's writings along with courses on modern Indian thinkers in comparative method along with philosophy of science and social sciences. All courses are based on classroom teaching. The evaluation of Coursework comprises mid-term examination, assignments (book review / term paper / seminar presentation) and end-term examination. After successful completion of compulsory course work of Two Semesters, students write Thesis.
Since 2017, the Centre offers M.A. in Political Science. M.A. in Political Science is a two-year full time programme offering 16 courses (both compulsory and optional) of four credits each, evenly taught over four semesters. In addition, there will be self-study projects supervised by teachers of the Centre. The programme is of 72 credits. The compulsory or core courses of the programme will focus on political theory/philosophy, political thought, Indian politics (institutions and processes), comparative politics and government, Modern Indian thinkers (with an emphasis on M. K. Gandhi), international relations, and research methodology. The optional courses will revolve around the themes of governance, decentralisation, development, public policy, democracy, inequality and exclusion, social justice, human rights, social movements, tradition-modernity debate, post-modernism, globalisation, political economy, post-colonial state, international politics, foreign policy, terrorism, violence, critical theory, and peace and conflict studies. The objective of the programme is to familiarise the students with the concepts, theories, approaches and paradigms of the discipline of Political Science. The programme aims at equipping the students with theoretical knowledge of politics as well as political processes. Students will also explore the society-politics interface. Another objective of the programme is to impart to the students a theoretical understanding of philosophy of science and social science, and practical methods for research in political science. All the sixteen courses will be based on classroom teaching. The evaluation comprises mid-term examination, assignments (book review / term paper / seminar presentation) and end-term examination.
M.A. in Political Science intake 33