The Al-Beruni Centre for Study of Social Inclusion (ABCSSI) was established in 2007 at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderabad as part of the UGC initiative under the X Plan of Government of India. The focus of the Centre is to contextualize, problematize and conceptualize social exclusion, marginality and discrimination experienced by the social groups including Dalits, Tribals and religious minorities. To serve the purpose, the Centre offers teaching programmes, promote interdisciplinary research and indulge into action oriented activities to understand social exclusion at theoretical and empirical level as well as to formulate policies to the protect rights of marginalized and excluded groups. In 2014, the Centre was renamed after Al Beruni, the great medieval scholar and historian who worked extensively on Indian social systems and diversity.

The Centre has produced a rich depository of data based research on marginalized communities and most particularly religious minorities. It aims to promote inclusive growth by means of producing need and relevance based research in Social Exclusion studies. The Centre is constantly reorienting and diversifying its research in the new fields to meet the challenges posed by changes in development paradigms such as economic and social reforms and globalization. In fact, the Centre describes itself as "an observation, research and discussion Centre entrusted with providing reliable and rigorous information, methodologically using mixed methods, on discrimination, exclusion and poverty related issues". In this regard, qualitative and quantitative researches are conducted by the Centre on social exclusion and poverty issues as well it engages in knowledge transfer activities, in the form of extension services to the unemployed youth, women and civil society in general. Most importantly, its database, research studies, reports and policy documents are easily accessible to scholars, researchers, students, government or non-governmental organizations.

Object:

To promote inclusive growth by developing an empirical and conceptual understanding of discrimination, exclusion and inclusion of the marginalized and weaker sections of the society with a special focus on religious minorities.

Objectives:

• To understand social exclusion, discrimination and inclusion at the level of conceptualization and inter-disciplinary empirical/theoretical research.
• To offer curriculum programme that focus on the issues of social exclusion, discrimination, marginality and inclusivity.
• To bring policy papers on the issues and government schemes related with social exclusion and inclusive policy.
• To organize national/ international Conference, Symposium, Seminars, workshop, Round Tables, Lectures for promotion and dissemination of knowledge regarding social exclusion, discrimination, public policies and to sensitize marginalized groups including religious minorities and weaker sections of the society.
• To collaborate with academicians, subject experts, intellectuals, policy makers, researchers, institutions, Universities and NGOs to promote collaborative learning/research on social exclusion and inclusive policies.
•  To emerge as the finest Resource Centre by creating a Data Bank on socially marginalized groups particularly religious minorities to promote future research.

Thrust Area:

To study social exclusion, discrimination and marginalisation of religious minorities especially focusing upon Muslims with all its intersectionalities such as caste, class, gender, region and so on.

New Initiatives (Planned/Ongoing):

1. The Centre is working to emerge as Resource Centre for information about Minorities and other socially excluded groups in India.
2. Engaging in dialogue with the multiple stakeholders representing the state, civil society, NGOs, academicians and so on.
3. Separate Research Unit (SRU) on documentation, data collection and data processing.
4. Add on Programmes including Certificate and Diploma Courses on issues of inclusive growth of Muslims/Tribals/Dalit Youths and Women.
5. Digitalisation of the researches conducted by the Centre including M.Phil Dissertations and Ph.D Theses since its inception.
6. Extensive study on role and participation of Muslim youth in new economic trends particularly of Swiggy, Uber, Ola, Blogging, YouTube, etc.
7. Village Adoption Study as part of the Centre’s flagship initiative of Inclusive Advocacy Programme

7. Optimum utilisation of the data generated by other CSSEIPs and research institutes like CSDS, CESS, NIRD, in conducting future research studies.
8. Collaborative research with different national and international universities and research institutions to promote the framework of affirmative actions, equity, equality and social justice.
9. Publish a peer reviewed research journal on Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy.
10. Working on maintaining the Repository of Government funded projects and reports on minorities.
11. Developed ‘Knowledge Series’ in English, Urdu and Telugu medium in easy to understand method to sensitize people on issues and challenges of discrimination, exclusion and inclusion in day to day life.
12. To disseminate knowledge and awareness among the marginalized sections, the Centre has launched its three flagship programme in collaboration with the Department of Political Science with a great success:

1. Hyderabad Dialogue,

2. Meet the Author Series,

3. Conversation with Achievers.