About the Conference

The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE) is pleased to announce its 67th Annual Conference to be held in Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, India during 19-21 December 2026. The Conference is being organised by the Department of Economics, BHU and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), BHU. Prof. S. Madheswaran, Visiting Professor, Institute for Human Development (IHD); and Adviser, Jain University, Bengaluru, and ICRISAT; is the Conference President. Professor Nidhi Sharma, Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (U.P.), is the Conference Organising Secretary, and Professor Anup Kumar Mishra, Head, Department of Economics, DAV PG College, BHU, is the Joint Organising Secretary.

Participation in the Conference is by invitation and registration only. The Conference is international and prospective contributors from both India and outside are invited to contribute papers and participate

Conference Structure and Duration

The Conference Programme will consist of presentations of selected papers on the Conference themes in the thematic and technical sessions. In addition, 3-4 Plenary lectures by eminent scholars/experts /and public intellectuals will be held during the Conference. A Plenary Panel and around 8-10 Thematic (Parallel) Panels will also be organised. The Conference will begin at 9 AM on 19 December 2026 and conclude by 3 PM on 21 December 2026. Participants are advised to reach Varanasi a day prior to the Conference and schedule their departure by 5 PM on 21 December 2026. The hosts would be happy to arrange accommodation on payment basis for participants willing to stay beyond this.

Pre-Conference Events

A Pre-Conference International Symposium, "Driving Inclusive Development: Future Labour Market Trajectories in BRIGS Economies", jointly organised by Institute for Human Development (IHD), New Delhi and the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, WITS University, South Africa will be held on 18 December 2026, 2:00- 7:30 PM. The Symposium will bring together experts and scholars from BRIGS countries to discuss equity, productivity, and resilience in changing labour markets. Scholars and researchers are invited to submit country-specific or comparative papers aligned with the theme. Extended abstracts of about 500 words may be submitted online at: https://forms.gle/qi1X399qCPXKZs2s7 by 31 July 2026. Accepted authors will be invited to submit full papers by 15 September 2026. Papers must be original and unpublished. For details about themes and submission process etc. visit: conference.isleijle.org

Those willing to participate in the Pre-Conference Symposium should plan their travel accordingly to reach Varanasi by forenoon of 18 December 2026.