Department of Rural Development and Planning

Rural development implies both the economic betterment of people as well as greater social transformation. Rural transformation is the real indicator of economic growth of a nation. Here lies the role of “Rural Development” as a distinct profession where scientific and integrated knowledge for understanding of rural situations and its environment is an emergent need for the development of our nation. The backwardness of rural sector is observed to be a major impediment in the over – all development of our country. As such, this demands right kind of co-ordination among the rural development organizations to train the manpower resources for extending help to the rural sector. With this view, the department of Rural Development & Planning started its academic programme by admitting 05 students initially at post graduate level in 1989, for the first time. However, after producing the first batch of students in 1991 under NEHU, the post graduate programme was discontinued due to shortage of manpower in the department. The second batch of postgraduate programme was enrolled in 1996. Gradually with the appointment of some more faculty members since 1997, the Department is now running its post graduate programmes, M .Sc. (Ag) & Ph.D. Programmes (Traditional & Course work) successfully. In addition to that, the Department is offering some courses at U.G. level also.

Periodic field visits and student’s placement in the village are some of the important features of the department as a strong move to strengthen the institution & village linkage for the benefit of the rural people. It is a very encouraging feature of the department that almost all past students are having full time employment; 80% of our past students are potentially employed in the government sector and 20% of them are well placed in the leading NGOs.


Short Term vision of the Department:

  • To widen the scope of admitting more students in P.G. programme;
  • Promotion of Information Education and Communication Activities;
  • Launching of minor/ small scale projects as well as large scale projects which are socially relevant and community oriented.

Long Term vision of the Department:

  • To develop into a school of Rural Development;
  • To open some allied departments, under proposed school of Rural Development, like (a) Regional Studies (b) Rural Tourism & Rural Management, (c) Social Work, (d) Mass Communication & Rural Reconstruction, etc.;
  • Functioning as a central nodal agency in promoting rural development research at international level among neighboring countries and thereby forming linkages with various national & International development organizations with special emphasis on North East India.

  • To conduct training programmes in the following areas:
    1. Raw materials / indigenous resource based;
    2. Service oriented;
    3. Farm sector & non – farm sector;
    4. Integrated farm management;
    5. Self – Help Group formation;
    6. Rural Mechanic Course & Lab. Technician Course, Short-term Computer Course, etc.
  • Action oriented projects:
    1. Adoption of village for model development;
    2. Awareness programme concerning environment & development;
    3. Undertaking projects to foster gender justice;
    4. Projects like Health Camp, Rural Energy, Bio- gas etc;
    5. Large scale projects with collaboration of other Institutions /agencies of the countries and abroad for entrepreneurship development.

Highlights of Research activities & Trust areas

  1. Ph. D. programme in Rural Development (course work system).
  2. Promotion of interdisciplinary research in collaboration with various faculties, and non- governmental agencies.
  3. Research guidance in the field of micro – level planning, Research Appraisal, Area Development, Women’s studies, Project Planning & Management. Training for Development Technology transfer, Tribal Studies etc.

Thrust Area:

Research & Extension in the area of
  • Regional studies with emphasis on Tribal Development Studies;
  • Evaluation, Monitoring and Documentation of Rural Development Projects;
  • Performance of NGO, Co – operative Enterprises etc;
  • Rural Energy & Rural Technology;
  • Economics of Forestry;
  • Gender Discrimination & Rural Development;
  • Rural Marketing & Rural Finance.

Point of Contact:

Email(HoD): hodrdp[at]nagalanduniversity.ac.in / ak_ makar[at]rediffmail.com

Phone No.: 03862-247268 / +91 9436263757

The department has a student intake capacity of (?) at the Post-graduate level.

There are currently (?) Ph.D. scholars.