India's Premier Social Science Think Tank CSDS Faces Deep Funding Cuts After Voter Data Error
The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), a premier social science research institution established in 1963, is facing severe funding cuts from the central government that could threaten its operations, The Indian Express has learned.
The funding reduction comes after CSDS professor Sanjay Kumar flagged discrepancies in Maharashtra's voter data—an error he later acknowledged and apologized for. The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), under the Ministry of Education, provides over 83% of CSDS's income. With these grants now in jeopardy, the think tank's financial viability is in question.
This development follows a similar case involving the Centre for Policy Research, which had to scale down operations after an Income Tax investigation and the cancellation of its foreign funding license two years ago.
CSDS has not issued an official statement, and government officials declined to comment on the record. The institute continues to conduct research, but uncertainty looms over its future funding.
