Expert talks about prejudices in society

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20

The seven-day national workshop on ‘Qualitative research methods in social sciences’, on the theme ‘Equity and Social Justice’, started at the ICSSR, Panjab University, here today.

The workshop is being organised by the Centre for Academic Leadership and Education Management (CALEM), Department of Education, PU, under the a scheme of the MHRD.

Prof Padma S Sarangapani from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, in her keynote address, dwelled upon three ideas relevant to the way of doing qualitative research — engaging patiently with the subjects, getting them to talk and evoking the idea of self as research instrument. She also emphasised on the relationship between researcher and research and its importance in qualitative research.

Prof Krishna Kumar, Former Director, NCERT, chaired the inaugural session. He emphasised on quality in research.

Prof Devinder Singh, Secretary to the PU Vice-Chancellor, highlighted the prejudices prevailing in the society and dire need to deliberate upon these issues.

Dr Jatinder Grover, CALEM coordinator from the Department of Education, extended welcome to all dignitaries. He said the workshop was an opportunity to deliberate at length on various issues related to qualitative research.

The background paper on the theme of the workshop was presented by Prof Satvinderpal Kaur, programme coordinator, which emphasised on the need to go beyond the dynamics of numbers and unravel the hidden realities through the tradition of the qualitative research.

Prof Latika Sharma, Chairperson of the Department, extended a vote of thanks to all luminaries present during the inaugural session.