We are hiring a Associate Fellow, Health Economics! Join NCAER and contribute to rigorous, evidence-based health economic policy research in India. Apply here: ncaer.org/career/associate-f…

The NCAER Workshop on AI-DPI featured another special session on “Technology, Regulation and Behavioural Outcomes”; where speakers examined a range of issues, including “Amplifying Local News on Social Media”; “Evaluating India’s Tax Reform in Online Real-Money Gaming”; “Road Safety Compliance in Life-Improvement Apps”; and “Mitigating Delays in Criminal Investigations”. The session was chaired by Professor Venkatesh Balasubramanian of IIT Madras. Presentations were delivered by Ananya Sen (Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy); Madhu Viswanathan (Indian School of Business); Uttara Madurai Ananthkrishnan (University of Washington); and, Anandasivam Gopal (Nanyang Technological University), who shared their research and insights across these themes. 🔗ncaer.org/event/workshop-on-…

NCAER’s latest Monthly Digest for May 2026 is out! Check out our latest Research, Publications, Events, and Other Offerings. Read more: mailchi.mp/db3b3bf230ff/feb-…

We are hiring a Senior Fellow, Health Economics! Join NCAER and contribute to rigorous, evidence-based health economic policy research in India. Apply here: ncaer.org/career/senior-fell…

Explore the latest findings from the May edition of the NCAER IHDS Research Digest Drawing on NCAER India Human Development Survey data, this edition features two studies. The first examines how family structure, labour force participation, functional health, and state support influence the wellbeing of older Indians. The second investigates how access to indoor piped drinking water affects women’s employment and health outcomes. Together, these findings underscore the critical role of social and physical infrastructure in shaping wellbeing across the life course. Read more: bit.ly/4fEdmzr

The second day of the NCAER Workshop on the Economics of AI-DPI commenced with a session on “Making AI Work for Humanity.” Chaired by Professor Ravi Bapna, the session explored key themes including “AI, Inequality and Development”; “Guidelines vs. Guardrails for AI”; and, “What Is Generative AI Worth?” Distinguished speakers included Marshall Van Alstyne of Questrom School of Business, Boston University; Jean-Louis Arcand, President of the Global Development Network; Saharsh Agarwal of ISB; and Avinash Collis of Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, who shared their insights on the opportunities and challenges of AI-driven development. 🔗ncaer.org/event/workshop-on-…

Can removing restrictions on women’s night work expand female employment? As part of the NCAER Seminar Series, Dr @asanishasharma Associate Professor at Ashoka University, presented her paper, “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Impact of Lifting Night Shift Bans on Female Employment,” on 18 May 2026. The study found that relaxing restrictions on women’s night work increased female employment in large firms, with gains concentrated in firms already employing women, export-oriented industries, and regions with higher unemployment. NCAER faculty member @Nishat_1495 served as the discussant.

The special session, “From Transactions to Insights,” at NCAER’s Workshop on the Economics of AI and DPI examined how digital exhaust generated by DPI platforms can be transformed into actionable insights and used to strengthen the research ecosystem around products such as UPI, FASTag, and GST. Chaired by NRVVMK Rajendra, Member (Finance) NHAI and moderated by Alok Gupta from the University of Minnesota, the session featured Shomik Mehndiratta and Jen JungEun Oh (both World Bank); Prof R Srinivas from IIM- Bangalore, CEO of Indian Highways Management Company Ltd Mudit Agarwal; and Shivnath Thukral, Vice-President (Public Policy) of PhonePe as panelists. The discussion highlighted the potential of DPI-generated data to inform research, improve policymaking, and drive innovation. 🔗ncaer.org/event/workshop-on-…

NCAER research staff @mondal_sovini and @PohitSanjib argue that India’s semiconductor ambitions cannot rely on assembly alone. In the absence of domestic refining and processing capacity, strategic dependence will continue. The defining challenge today is not merely access to resources, but leadership over the value chain. Read more: ncaer.org/publication/invisi…

The second session of NCAER’s Workshop on the Economics of AI and DPI focused on expanding economic opportunities through financial inclusion and on charting the path forward for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). Discussions featured insights from CDPI CEO, Kamya Chandra; Shankar Maruwada of the EkStep Foundation; and Shashwat Alok and Pranav Jindal from ISB, who shared their perspectives on leveraging DPI to enhance financial access, foster innovation, and support inclusive economic growth.

The AI & Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Workshop hosted by NCAER received extensive wide media coverage. The discussions brought together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to explore how AI can strengthen public service delivery, foster inclusion, and accelerate digital transformation in India. An important milestone in shaping the future of AI-enabled public infrastructure. 🔗ncaer.org/event/workshop-on-…

“Just released: new from IHDS-III (2022-24) 📢 Manish Sabharwal just released a report on “The Evolving Landscape of Digital Inclusion in India” jointly produced by NCAER in collaboration with @tqh_policy. The report highlights the layered and evolving nature of digital participation in India where mobile-first internet access has both expanded access and limited the quality of digital participation. Read the full report here: ncaer.org/publication/the-ev… @ihdscorner | @TeamLease

The inaugural session of NCAER’s Workshop on the Economics of AI and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) examined why this emerging area is of particular importance for India. The session brought together policymakers, researchers, and product builders from across the world for a wide-ranging discussion. NCAER Director General, Suresh Goyal, presented the vision behind the workshop, which serves as a precursor to the proposed establishment of a new research centre focused on the economics of AI and DPI. CCI Chairperson Ravneet Kaur; MeitY Secretary S Krishnan; MoSPI Secretary Saurabh Garg; Professor Ravi Bapna (University of Minnesota); and, Professor Anindya Ghosh (New York University) offered their perspectives on the subject. The session was chaired and moderated by NCAER Vice-Chairman, Manish Sabharwal. 🔗ncaer.org/event/workshop-on-…