Department of Economics of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) in collaboration with the Jesuit Economic Association of India (JEAI) organized a two-day national conference on March 24-25, 2023 at the University campus. The theme was ‘Contemporary Issues in Economic Theory and Policy’.

In his inaugural speech, Rev. Father John Felix Raj, S.J. Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of SXUK said that India is passing through a crucial economic challenge which needs to be controlled with effective policy making and implementation. While appreciating the initiative of the department to organise a conference on such a relevant topic, Father Raj expressed that the issue would be properly debated and discussed in this conference.

Prof. Prabhat Patnaik, Emeritus Professor of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) delivered the keynote address on the poverty of mainstream economics. He said, “Economy, as envisaged in the mainstream tradition, is incompatible with a production economy.” He further said that in a money-driven world, where money acts as a store of value, the logic of mainstream economics does not hold. He also gave insights into a few policy issues of mainstream economics.

Among the other dignitaries present were Prof. Pinaki Chakraborty, Former Director National Institute of Public Finance and Policy; Dr. Himanshu, Associate Professor, JNU; Dr. Tanika Chakraborty, Associate Professor, IIM-Calcutta; Prof. Anup Kumar Sinha, President, Bandhan Bank; etc. They also delivered separate lectures on related issues.

A bunch of research scholars and academicians from Jesuit institutions like Loyola Academy Secunderabad; St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad; XIM University, Bhubaneshwar, Xavier Institute of Social Sciences, Ranchi; St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata; and other colleges and universities presented their research papers in the conference. A total of 40 research papers were presented in ten different technical sessions. All the faculty members of the Faculty of Arts and Social Studies also attended the conference.

Dr. Subhanil Chowdhury