Kudumbashree’s PG diploma course at Loyola College of Social Science

KOZHIKODE: Kudumbashree, the state’s famed poverty eradication mission, will kickstart its first community studies at Loyola College of Social Sciences, Thiruvananthapuram, on Monday.

The one-year PG diploma in development systems is being conducted in collaboration with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

There are a total 43 seats and 38 candidates were selected after a state-level written test followed by group discussion among the members and children of Kudumbashree.

They include three men from the scheduled tribe community. A 50-year-old woman is the eldest among the students whose minimum educational qualification is graduation.

“TISS has developed the curriculum with a thrust on community research. We have students from all parts of Kerala and 60 per cent of them are from BPL families,” TISS faculty-in-charge, Dr Manjula Bharaty, told DC. Dr Bharaty, who had a stint with Kudumbashree earlier, added that lack of documentation was a problem with the mission.

The students will have a one-month course at TISS Mumbai in October. Besides faculty from TISS, guest lecturers from a panel of institutions, including Madras Institute of Developmental Studies, JNU, IIT and CDS will be roped in.

Kudumbashree will assist in finding placement opportunities for the best students. “However, we never guarantee jobs. Efforts will be made to find openings with other SRLMs (state rural livelihood mission), in research areas,” said Kudumbashree executive director K.B Valsala Kumari.