Department of Economics

MA, MPhil (HCU), PhD (IIT Bombay)

• Member of the Board of Studies of CMS College (since 2017)
• Executive Member of the Charity World Trust (Since 2016)
• Visiting faculty at S P Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai (2006)
• Visiting faculty at the University of Woolongong campus in Dubai (2001)
• Member of the syllabus restructuring committee of the Mahatma Gandhi university (1997)
• Coordinator of the Women Cells of all Colleges in Kerala- elected by All India Association for Christian Higher Education (1996).
• Member of the District level Expert Committee (`Women and Social Welfare’) of Micro Level Planning in Kerala (1996).

• Member of the Managing Board of the College
• Member, Faculty of Economics

• 1st Rank in Mahatma Gandhi University for BA Economics (1992)
• 2nd Rank in Mahatma Gandhi University for MA Economics (1994)
• Cleared National Eligibility Test (1995)
• MPhil in Economics from Hyderabad Central University (1995)
• ICSSR Research Fellowship (1998)
• Dr Nanjundappa Endowment Award for the Best Research Scholar from ISEC Bangalore (1999)
• Represented India in the South East Asian Research Scholars Exchange Programme held at Nagoya University, Japan (2010)
• PhD in Industrial Economics from IIT, Bombay (2015)

• Project on ‘Startup Dynamics’ sponsored by the National Entrepreneurship Network with Prof. K Narayanan and Prof.Karuna Jain, IIT Bombay (2007-2008).

• Orientation Programme sponsored by the UGC at Academic Staff CollegeKariavattom, University of Kerala from 13th May to 9th June 2004 .
• Refresher Course in Economics sponsored by the UGC at Academic Staff College Kariavattom, University of Kerala fromMarch 1st 2012 to 22nd March 2012.
• Refresher Course in Economics sponsored by the UGC atHuman Resource Development Centre, University of Mumbai from 30th January to 18th February 2017.
• Continuing Education and Quality Improvement Programme organised by IIT, Bombay from 18th April to 30th April, 2011.

Invited Talks

• “Gender Inequality and Sustainable Development- The Indian Experience” in Thamassat University, Thailand, August 28, 2024.
• “Kerala’s Development Experience: The Issue of Sustainability’, Kerala Study Programme jointly organised by the IQAC, Assumption College, and Sophia University, Japan on August 10, 2024.
• ‘Skills for 21^st Century Jobs’- Career guidance and motivational talk for the school students organised by DCMS, May 19, 2024.
• “Fostering Innovation in SMEs- Some insights from Indian Firms” in the International Conference on Solutions to Sustainable Development Goals Jointly organised by Assumption College, S B College, and Sophia University, Japan, August 15, 2023.
• “The Concept of Freedom in Economics”, in the Economics Association Inaugural Ceremony of Mar Thoma College Thiruvalla, January 2023
• “Kerala’s Development Experience’ in the International Academic Exchange Programme between Assumption College and Sophia University (Japan) from September 3-5, 2019.
•  Chaired a session and delivered a talk on “Women Empowerment for Inclusive Development of India” in the National Seminar on “Women Empowerment: Issues, Challenges and Prospects” organised by NSS Hindu College in collaboration with Mahatma Gandhi University from September 24-25, 2019.
• Talk on “Gender Inequality and Sustainable Development” in the International Conference on ‘Gender, Environment and Sustainable Development’ organised by IQAC, Assumption College from November1-2, 2018.
• “Kerala Model of Development and the Role of Government Policies” in the International society Academic Exchange Programme between Assumption College and Sophia University (Japan) from August 28-September 2, 2018
• “Economic Growth and Gender Inequality: A Comparative Study of India and China” in the National Seminar on Inclusive Economic Growth organised by the Post Graduate and Research Department of Economics, S B College , Changanacherry on August 8, 2018.
• “Attitude Reengineering for a better life”, motivational talk at St. Aloysius College, Edathua, March 2018.

• Thomas, Rani Maria “Entrepreneurial Characteristics and Firm Performance” in the International Conference Impression 2019 organised by SIES (Nerul) College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mumbai on 9th February 2019.
• Thomas, Rani Maria, Narayanan K and RamanathanA.”Entrepreneurship Development and Business Incubation”, International Conference on Women Entrepreneurship, Business Incubation and Social Business Development organised by Assumption College, Ministry of MSME, KCCI and KSIDC held at Assumption College, Changanacherry, Kerala from January 21-24, 2014.
• Thomas, Rani Maria, Narayanan K and Ramanathan A. “A Comparative study of Technology and Industry clusters of SMEs in India”, V1th Annual International Conference of Knowledge Forum on Agglomeration, Technology Clusters and Networks held at International Centre, Goa, November 18-20, 2011.
• Thomas, Rani Maria. “A Multi Disciplinary Approach to Social Science Research”, Workshop on Research Methodology of Social Sciences organised by the Department of Economics, Assumption College during August 23-24, 2011.
• Thomas, Rani Maria, Narayanan K and Ramanathan A. “Start-up Dynamics of IITB Incubating Companies”, JSPS Exchange Programme for East Asian Young Researchers held at Nagoya University, Japan from May 10-22, 2010.

• “Pricing Strategies for Performing Arts: A Theoretical Perspective”, ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, July 2024, ISSN: 2582-7472.
• “Education, Economic Growth and Demographic Dividend: A Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Sustainable Development”, Education and Society, Vol.47, No.3, April-June 2024, ISSN: 2278-6864, pp:22-26
• “Women Entrepreneurship in India: Problems and Prospects”, Dogo Rangsang Research Journal, Vol 14, Issue 6, 2023, pp: 25-31.
• “Theoretical Perspectives on the Growth and Competitiveness of Firms”, Kutap, Vol 6, Issue 8, 2023, pp 20-27.
• “Gender Inequality: A Comparative Study of India and China”, Rabindra Bharati Journal of Philosophy, Vol 15, Issue 6, 2023, pp: 1-7.
• “Gender Inequality and Sustainable Development”, in the Proceedings of International Conference on Gender, Environment and Sustainable Development, March 2021, ISBN: 978-81-951635-2-6
•  “Entrepreneurial Characteristics and SME Performance”,  in Ajanta, An International Multidisciplinary Quarterly Research Journal, Volume VIII, Issue 1, January-March 2019, 107-118, ISSN: 2277-5730.
• “A Comparative Study of Technology and Industry Clusters of SMEs in India”, Science, Technology and Society, SAGE Journal, 2012, Volume 17 (3): 409-430.