Centre for Civil Society

The Centre for Civil Society is a libertarian public policy think tank based in New Delhi, India. It was founded on August 15, 1997, as an independent, non-profit, research and educational organization. Due to the difference in the use of political terminology, the organization is often termed "Liberal".

CCS researches and conducts activities in several policy areas, including:
* Livelihood Studies
* Good Governance
* Community and Markets in Environmental Protection
* Education Choice
* Economic Freedom

The founder president of CCS is Dr. Parth J. Shah and the Chairman is the entrepreneur Kanwal Rekhi.

CCS has a small team of members who claim to try to spread the message of liberty and responsibility. Borrowing greatly from the philosophies of Ayn Rand, the centre says it strives to create the thinkers of tomorrow, and in such an effort targets college students for its programs, students who they identify as change agents.

Research being a major department in CCS attracts a lot of attention from those in the centre itself. Also people not only of Indian origin and nationality but also from abroad apply for such research.

CCS likes to think of itself as a think tank which can bring about reforms like those witnessed in U.K during the Margaret Thatcher government, however lack of publicity and even funding clips their wings at times.

CCS is also in association with luminaries such as Gurcharan Das and Swaminathan Aiyer, along with Sauvik Chakraverti and also Subroto Roy.

Along with Parth J Shah, helping with the centres work are a "team" of libertarians. The "team", according to the center, comprises young intelligent individuals who contribute towards making liberty a household name in India. The centre has opened office in Mumbai and in Chennai. With its head office in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, it holds its seminars regularly across India. The more famous of these seminars is Liberty & Society Seminar (From 2008 re-named to I,society & Public policy seminars).

External links

* [http://www.ccs.in/ Center for Civil Society]
* [http://www.ccs.in/policy.htm CCS Policy studies]
* [http://www.schoolchoice.in School Choice India Campaign]