Data, Policy and Innovation Centre (DPIC)

The Data, Policy & Innovation Centre (DPIC) is a unique partnership between the State Government of Odisha and the University of Chicago Trust (UCT) in India designed to harness the power of data and research to drive governance in Odisha. The Centre, located in the state capital, Bhubaneswar, aims to be a modern data and research hub leveraging cutting-edge data science tools and advanced research methods to drive evidence-based decision-making in Odisha. In an era where data is crucial for governance, DPIC’s embedded structure enables close collaboration between government and academia, fostering practical and impactful solutions to address real world policy challenges. Why are we unique? Integrated Approach: Our work spans the full data-to-policy cycle – from curating high-quality datasets, extracting analytical insights, conducting rigorous research and building data capabilities within government. Ground Presence: Our field presence and close collaboration with government help unlock access to data and enable researchers to co-create projects with government, thereby meaningfully contribute to advancing evidence-driven governance Broad Mandate: Our work is spread across multiple sectors, creating cross-cutting data frameworks that can inform interconnected policy decisions and drive comprehensive development outcomes. Our Approach and Impact DPIC’s work is structured around three core pillars: Data Curation: We transform fragmented, difficult to access administrative datasets into high-quality, analysis-ready resources that reveal meaningful patterns and insights. Analytics and Research: We apply sophisticated data analytics and research techniques to evaluate government programs or to test policy innovations and generate actionable evidence for public policy. Capacity Building: We support training of public officials in data management and use and help institutionalise a data-driven culture within government.