Over the last thirty years of its existence the Institute has established itself as a reputed centre of research on development issues in the country and abroad. As a result of numerous field-based studies conducted at the Institute, it has acquired considerable expertise and experience of conducting primary data based household surveys on socio-economic issues.

The Institute has been conducting studies on a wide variety of issues, problems and themes covering various aspects of socio-economic development in the country with especial focus on the state of Uttar Pradesh and its regions including Uttaranchal. 

The major areas of the studies undertaken at the Institute include the following: 

agricultural development, agrarian structure and rural development

inter-regional and inter-state disparities, regional development and planning and policy

economic infrastructure especially irrigation, power and road transport

human development and social services such as health, education and drinking water

land use planning, environment and development

industrialisation, industrial growth, rural industries and informal sector

urbanisation and rural-urban migration

problems of backward areas especially drought prone areas and the hill regions

the conditions and problems of disadvantaged groups especially women, children, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.