The Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India is a premier Social Science research institute . It is also a higher education institution providing M.A. course in applied economics and PhD course in economics. It is a very reputed institution internationally also. Its main objective is to promote research, teaching and training in disciplines relevant to development. The institute was established on October 9, 1970, by the economist Professor K. N. Raj.