Rural Development has been given immense importance during the last couple of decades by the Government, both central and state, particularly in the process of development of economy by implementing huge number of policies and programmes. After 73rd Constitution Amendment Act, 1992 various functions (as specified in eleventh schedule) are now being done by the rural local governments. As a result the rural institutions as well as the organizations involved in the development process of the economy need well educated professionals to get success of the goal as envisaged. The present department of rural development studies, erstwhile INSPARC, was established against the backdrop of the above in the year 2003 under the faculty of Engineering Technology and Management University of Kalyani. It has two-fold objectives: promotion of academic advancement in general and rural development in particular on one hand and the teaching as well as training of students who will capable of taking challenges in the real world of the rural sector in our country on the other. At present, the department offers two-year Post Graduate programme in Master of Rural Studies and Ph.D programme under the faculty of Arts and Commerce.