About the Department

The Centre for Gandhian Studies is an institution where various Academic Researches, Social Services and Collaborative Activities are performed. Formerly it was known asGandhiBhawan thatestablished long back in 1965.In 1985, the Academic Council of University of Rajasthan raised the status of the Gandhi Bhawan and transformed it into the 'Centre for Gandhian Studies' and also approved an M. Phil. Programme in Gandhian Studies that further led to Doctoral and Post-Doctoral Degrees. The academic programme of the Centre for Gandhian Studies is supported and adopted by other subjects of Social Sciences that have provisions of papers/ topics based on the themes of our programme at their Under Graduate and Post Graduate level.

The Centre for Gandhian Studies mainly focuses on:

• The Study of Gandhi, Gandhian Literature and other relevant Gandhian thinkers with their theoretical as well as practical aspects.
• Understanding peaceful methods and techniques of conflict- resolution.
• Formulating Gandhian principles at local, national, and international levels.
• Determining appropriate and intermediate technologies for developing societies.
• Experiments of Gandhian techniques applied in India as well as various other parts of the world
• Organizing Conferences and Symposia, Providing Library Visits, Publishing Surveys based on Gandhian Constructive Programmes and others Organizations.
• Operating an academic link between University Fraternity (teachers and students) and other Gandhian Organizations, Government and people supporting Gandhian Perspective.

Infrastructural Facilities

The Centre is situated in the midst of the University Campus. It started with two small rooms in 1965, but now possesses one big Class Room, one Director's Chamber, one Office-cum-Library, one Prayer Hall, and a beautifully cultivated Lawn. Its calm and serene atmosphere is quite congenial for study, academic discussion and analysis that propagates Gandhi & Gandhian ideas.The library has about 4000 books, some records of speeches of Mahatma Gandhi, Several Reports and many M. Phil. Dissertations submitted by the scholars.Prof. V.R. Mehta, eminent political theorist and former Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University was the founder Director of the Centre. In later years the Centre received the leadership of so many eminent Gandhian Scholars. Presently the Director of this Centre is Dr. Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science who has had a long association with this Centre since his student life and served the Centre as a regular teaching faculty. Dr. Sharma has revived the Centre completely. He not only updated the library but also his assiduous efforts had credited the Centre with so many Journals. Nowadays the Priya Bhajans of Gandhi Ji are being played throughout the day that fills the hearts of visitors with solace and positivity. The centre has organised many activities.A highly successful National Seminar was organised on 22-23 February, 2019 on the theme "Role and Contribution of Kasturba in Gandhi's Life and Philosophy". Aphoto exhibition and special lecture was organised at the centre in commemoration of Dandi March on11&12 March, 2019. A National Workshop was organised on 28 March, 2019 in collaboration with National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi. Many Lectures were delivered by eminent p e r s o n a l i t i e s a n d p r o f e s s o r s fr o m r e p u t e d institutions.Numerous lectures were delivered on diverse themes. In September 2019 centre has hosted few academic tours from Polytechnic College and Schools in Jaipur. A special lecture and photo exhibition on the theme "From Mohan to Mahatma" was organised on 150th centenary birth celebration of Mahatma Gandhi on 2 October, 2019. On 11 February, 2020 a 45 member distinguished delegates belonging to Bureau of Parliamentary Studies & Training, Lok Sabha Secretariat, Parliament House, New Delhi visited the centre on its 35th International Training Programme. The centre has restarted the M. Phil. programme from the session 2020-21. There are now 20 M. Phil students doing research work at the centre. The centre is working assiduously for initiation of Certificate & Diploma course for general readers and students as well.