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Centre for Employment Relations
and Labour Studies(CERLS)





Objectives

While emerging as one of the fastest growing economy in the world, India remains at the crossroad of the growth trajectory owing to the informal nature of her labour market. The Ministry of Labour and Employment (Government of India) reports that around 84% of the working populace in the country is employed in the unorganized sector. Recently, the NITI Aayog, suggested that 7.7 million workers were engaged in the gig economy in the year 2020-21. It is only expected to rise to 23.5 million workers by 2029-30. To put the above numbers in perspective, the International Labour Organization (ILO) is also concerned that 50 percent of the global workforce and more than 90 percent of the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) are working and operating in the condition of informality . Moreover, India is yet to act at a policy level towards the implementation of the International Labour Conference (ILC) recommendation R204 - Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy Recommendation, 2015 (No. 204). Accordingly, the proposed Centre for Employment Relations and Labour Studies is aligned to the following objectives:

  • facilitate the transition of workers and economic units from the informal to the formal economy, while respecting workers’ fundamental rights and ensuring opportunities for income security,
  • promote the creation and preservation of sustainable enterprises as well as decent jobs in the formal economy
  • prevent the informalization of formal economy jobs.






Vision

Create sustainable organizations through cooperative employment relations.

Mission

  • Inform relevant stakeholders through publication of research papers, reports and white papers that can drive the creation of sustainable labour policy, as well as facilitate the formalization of work and the workplace.
  • Conduct conferences and seminars to sensitize the different actors of employment relations such as employers, employees, trade union leaders, and government officials.
  • Consult government and organizations in building a sustainable labour policy while ensuring the dignity of work and rights of workers.
  • Participate and create international consensus on global labour issues.


  • Centre Activities


    • ...

      Engage research fellows

      The Centre would like to engage post-doctoral research fellows on ‘employment relations and labour research’ through project funding

    • ...

      Conduct labour conferences

      The Centre would conduct an annual labour conference by involving different stakeholders in employment relations

    • ...

      Publishing annual periodicals

      The Centre would publish an annual research-based periodical which may further metamorphose into a journal in future.

    • ...

      Training

      The Centre would train employers association, employers, government officials, trade union leaders, workers, students and doctoral scholars on how to create a cooperative labour management relationship while ensuring the dignity of labour.



    Members

    Prof. Manoranjan Dhal

    Chair Person

    Professor,
    OBHR Area

    Prof. Surya Prakash Pati

    Member

    Associate Professor,
    OBHR Area

    Prof. Chitwan Lalji

    Member

    Assistant Professor,
    Economics Area

    Prof. Shannu Narayan

    Member

    Associate Professor,
    HLM Area