Symbiosis School of Economics to Host 66th Annual ISLE Conference in Pune from January 19th to 21st 2026

SMPL
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], January 17: The Symbiosis School of Economics (SSE), Symbiosis International (Deemed) University (SIU), Pune, has announced that it will host the 66th Annual Conference of the Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE) from January 19 to 21, 2026, at the SIU campus in Pune. The Conference is being organised by the Symbiosis School of Economics, SIU.
The Conference President is Professor Praveen Jha, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Professor Jyoti Chandiramani, Director, Symbiosis School of Economics and Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, SIU, Pune, is the Organising Secretary of the Conference.
The theme of the 66th ISLE Conference will centre around three key areas: Technology, Innovations and Employment; Education, Employment and Labour Markets; and Rural Transformation and Workforce Dynamics. The Conference aims to facilitate in-depth discussions on the evolving nature of work, labour markets, and development challenges in India and the Global South.
Speaking about the event Dr. Jyoti Chandiramani said, "The ISLE Conference brings together diverse perspectives on labour, employment and development at a critical juncture for economies worldwide. Through its focused themes and wide-ranging participation, the Conference aims to facilitate meaningful academic and policy-oriented discussions on the future of work."
The Conference is expected to witness participation from over 350 delegates, including more than 100 international and national experts as speakers, panellists and discussants, representing 15 international universities. The academic programme will comprise 13 plenary sessions, 15 parallel tracks, 5 workshops, and 33 technical sessions.
Key plenary sessions include the Presidential Address by Professor Praveen Jha titled "Neoliberal Capitalism and the World of Work: Back to the Basics". The V.B. Singh Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Professor Ravi S. Kanbur, T.H. Lee Professor of World Affairs and Professor of Economics, Cornell University, on "What If All the Output in the World Was Produced by One Person?". The V.V. Giri Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Professor Sachin Chaturvedi, Vice Chancellor, Nalanda University on "Harnessing Technology for Sustainable Growth and Human Development", while the S.D. Punekar Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Professor Jayati Ghosh, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA, on "The Broken Links between Growth, Employment and Inequality".
A special panel discussion on "Artificial Intelligence for Development", organised in collaboration with The World Bank, Washington DC, will feature senior economists and policy experts, including Gaurav Nayyar, Franziska Ohnsorge, and Ashok Panda. The Conference will also host high-level roundtables on "Interrogating Growth: Labour, Employment and Development Outcomes in the Contemporary World" and "Preparing Indian Workers for the Future Economy", featuring policymakers, economists, and institutional leaders from India and international organisations.
Several thematic panel discussions will address critical contemporary issues, including technology and employment in emerging economies, gender and labour, decent work during multiple crises, rural transformation, informal enterprises, sustainability and healthcare, and human capital development in Maharashtra, with participation from leading global institutions such as the International Labour Organisation, World Bank, United Nations University, Harvard University, and universities from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the United States.
The valedictory address will be delivered by Professor Kaushik Basu, Professor of Economics, Cornell University, USA, and former Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank, and with Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro-Chancellor, Symbiosis International (Deemed) University, Chairing the session.
The Conference is being supported by Symbiosis International (Deemed) University, Bank of Maharashtra, Forbes Marshall, RIJ Engineering, SRV Media, Pranitya Wealth, 360 One Wealth, along with SSE well-wishers and alumni.
For more information, visit - https://www.sse.ac.in/
Check - Announcement Brochure
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