It is imperative for participants to understand the overall context of India’s contemporary developmental challenges and historical developmental experiences. This understanding is foundational for participants before they learn to frame broader questions of social change in Indian society or assess priorities of various social sector organisations in the country. This course will equip participants to understand the multi-faceted nature of contemporary development challenges in India, explain India’s developmental trajectory (including regional differences in developmental outcomes), and assess how inequalities and deprivations (caste, class, gender) affect developmental agenda. Participants will understand continuities and changes within social policies (and their priorities) in India, appreciating differences across sub-national or regional trajectories in the country, and acknowledging the persistence of long-standing forms of social and economic inequalities.