Centre for Civil Society

21/08/2026

Migration is often discussed through numbers, borders and policy. Ken Schoolland’s Courage, Fear, and Immigration looks at the people behind that movement and the choices involved in leaving one place to begin again somewhere else.

Part of CCS’s Liberty & Society Series, the essay offers a way to think about immigration through the experiences and motivations that have shaped human movement across societies.

📖 Read Courage, Fear, and Immigration.

21/08/2026

And that’s a wrap on AES 2026! 🎓

Over three weekends, the Austrian Economics Seminar 2026 brought together 30 participants to engage with some of the key ideas in Austrian economics.

Through lectures and Socratic discussions, participants explored how markets coordinate information, the role of entrepreneurship, and how institutions and governance shape economic outcomes. Sessions with scholars from India and across the world gave participants the opportunity to question ideas, examine different perspectives, and take the discussion beyond the readings.

Thank you to our faculty and participants for making AES 2026 a space for serious discussion, questions, and exchange.

20/08/2026

We are thrilled to share that Centre for Civil Society is one of six finalists for Atlas Network’s 2026 Templeton Freedom Award for our Repeal of Laws initiative.

The work started in 2014 with a simple yet powerful idea of identifying laws that were obsolete, redundant or no longer served their purpose. Since then, CCS has identified 534 such laws and contributed to the repeal of 216 laws at the Union and state levels.

More than a decade later, it is gratifying to see this work recognised globally.

A big thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey over the years, and to Atlas Network for recognising the work. We are proud to be among this year’s finalists.

20/08/2026

CCS is looking for a Teacher Training Partner to work with teachers across Delhi as part of the Language Learning Lab.

The assignment will involve developing training modules and classroom resources, conducting eight full-day workshops, and assessing how teachers apply the learning in their classrooms.

The training will also prepare teachers to mentor students for the Savitribai Phule Speaking Bee Competition, with a focus on spoken English, articulation and public speaking.

Individuals and organisations with relevant experience can apply by 26 August 2026.

Apply here: https://ccs.in/call-proposals-teacher-training-partner-language-learning-lab

19/08/2026

During the global neoliberal era, developing countries began growing faster and catching up with richer economies. India's economic reforms unfolded during the same period.

In this video from the B.R. Shenoy Memorial Lecture Series, Prof. Arvind Subramanian examines India's reform experience in the context of this broader global shift.

Watch the full lecture on our YouTube - https://youtu.be/O4ah1ur4X8w?si=Ci1zfRMhLeG0IIoL

19/08/2026

How do individuals and institutions make decisions when knowledge is incomplete and dispersed?

At the Colloquium, participants will explore this question through readings from F.A. Hayek, Thomas Sowell, Ludwig von Mises, Michael Polanyi and others. Over two days, the readings become the starting point for discussion, disagreement and exchange.

📅 26–27 September | 📍 New Delhi
⏳ Applications close on 20 September
🔗 Register here: https://ccs.in/colloquium-economics-and-knowledge

18/08/2026

What happens when money is no longer tied to a government, a country, or a central authority?

In this edition of Baithak, Rakesh Wadhwa explores Bitcoin as a decentralised form of money and its implications for free markets, individual choice, and the role of government in monetary systems.

Fill the form to attend - https://form.typeform.com/to/hwbmW00a

Register now for 'Baithak' with Rakesh Wadhwa on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, at the CCS office in New Delhi.

17/08/2026

EducationWorld takes a closer look at the Ease of Operating Schools (EoOS) Index 2026, its findings, and the regulatory environment for budget private schools across India.

Developed by Centre for Civil Society, the Index examines school regulatory frameworks across 28 states and two Union Territories. It looks at the rules that shape a school’s journey, from starting and operating to expanding and sustaining it.

Across 6 domains, 23 indicators and 164 sub-indicators, the Index finds a national average score of 20.86 out of 100. The findings highlight considerable differences across states and identify areas with scope for regulatory reform.

In his detailed feature for EducationWorld, Dilip Thakore examines these findings and places them within the wider conversation on school education and regulatory reform in India.

Read the full EducationWorld coverage: https://educationworld.in/ease-of-operating-schools-index-2026-damning-indictment-of-indias-educracy/

Read the EoOS Index 2026. Link - studentfirst.in/

17/08/2026

Since 2003, CCS has worked on the barriers people face in earning a living.

It began with the Jeevika documentary competitions, which brought the realities of everyday livelihoods into public view. Over the next two decades that work moved into policy and the courts.

We worked alongside street vendors for more than a decade. That work fed into the Street Vendors Act of 2014, which gave vendors notice before eviction and a formal place in urban planning. Our 2022 Delhi study found 91% of vendors did not know the Act existed, so we took that evidence to the ground.

Through Legal Empowerment and Assistance Programme (LEAP), CCS has resolved 210 cases for street vendors across Delhi and Jaipur.

We are looking back at 29 years of CCS. Follow the work at ccs.in and watch this space.

15/08/2026

Twenty-nine years ago, on 15 August 1997, the Centre for Civil Society began with a simple idea: freedom should reach the everyday choices people make and the institutions they depend on.

Over the past year, we have reflected on where our work can matter most, reconnected with people and ideas that have shaped CCS, revived important platforms, and found new ways to take our work forward.

From school education and regulatory reform to scholarships, spoken English and the rights of street vendors, the focus remains the same: expanding choice for people and making institutions more accountable.

As we enter our thirtieth year, we thank our donors, partners, team, fellows, alumni and volunteers who have built this journey with us.

The best is still ahead.